Demons at the Door
by Takada Saiko
Summary: When the evidence begins to build to show that Scottie Hargrave was set up, Tom doesn't know who he can trust. The Blacklist & Redemption crossover. Full cast. Keen2. Continues from the Redemption finale and on past the Blacklist finale.
1. Calculated Risk

**Chapter One: Calculated Risks**

"You do know that one word from you and Howard would have his badge, right?"

Tom glanced over at his partner as they turned to start up the steps to the address they'd been given. He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Seriously? You want me to go tattling to daddy that the big ol' mean FBI agent won't leave my wife alone?" he chuckled.

Nez shot him a withering look. "If it'll shut you up about it, then yeah. That's exactly what I'm saying."

He snorted a laugh, rolling his eyes as they stepped into the elevator and his partner popped her knuckle against the button marked for the fourth floor, both losing all signs of mirth as the doors opened up to show the floor crawling with NYPD. They were stopped nearly immediately by a young detective that looked like he'd been there for hours. "Keen and Rowan," Tom introduced.

"Yeah, your office called ahead. Detective Kosinski. I ain't never worked with Halcyon Aegis before. I thought you guys were some sort of military training facility or something like that?"

"We're a lot of things," Nez answered, her smile charming and the detective turned his full attention on her. "Right now we're the ones that you've been instructed to share the full details of your investigation with."

It took most of Tom's self control not to smirk at the startled expression Kosinski wore for half a beat before bringing it back around to all-business. "Yeah, that's what I hear," he answered with a shrug. "Follow me. We're sharing information, but don't take anything from the scene, you hear? They're not done filing it all away."

Tom and Nez followed him down the hall and passed several uniformed officers that were working the scene. He had seen some gruesome crime scenes over the years. He'd even caused one or two, but this was more than he'd expected when Dumont had flagged a call in to NYPD that linked a murder with the assault on their own Kat Carlson. It had come nearly twenty-four hours after Kat had shown up on his hotel doorstep, bleeding and desperate to get information to him. In the rush to get Kat to the hospital, the questions that followed, and her surgery that hadn't gone as well as they'd hoped, Tom hadn't even had a chance to look at the jump drive yet. He wasn't sure what kind of evidence was available or who the _him_ was that Kat had warned him about. He hadn't been sure he _wanted_ to know who she had been referring to.

Now, as he and Nez stood in what had been a nice hotel room, he wondered wondered what sort of answers were about to unfold.

"Tests confirm that some of the blood matches Ms Carlson," the deceive said, pulling Tom out of his thoughts. "Best we can tell, there was some sort of argument. People in across the hall said they heard shouting. Didn't call it in, but mentioned it when we interviewed them. This-" he held up an ice pick in his gloved hand- "is all Ms Carlson's blood. None of our John Doe's."

"Still no ID in the body?" Nez asked.

"We're working on it, but nothing yet. The desk downstairs said that he paid with cash and that he went by the name Trevor Sanders. So far, nothing that matches up but he- Hey!"

Tom was moving past him towards the bed where the body hadn't been moved yet. As soon as it had shown up on Halcyon's radars all the right calls had been made to give he and Nez full access, delaying Tom's exit again as they followed up on a lead that could help them catch Kat's attacker. He pulled the sheet back, his expression remaining even as he looked over the bloodied face of what may have once been an attractive man.

Kosinski cleared his throat a little nervously. "They say adrenaline can make you do crazy things."

"Is that his blood on the candlestick?" Nez asked motioning to where it was lying on the bed next to him.

"Mostly. Some of your girl's mixed in. You, uh… you know him?"

"I don't," Tom answered slowly, glancing back at his partner. "Nez?"

"Never seen him."

Tom pulled his phone out of his jeans as it buzzed, a message lighting the screen. His lips tugged down as he cleared it and snapped a photo of the dead John Doe. Just because they didn't know who he was didn't mean they couldn't find out. "Listen, Detective Kosinski, we don't want to get in the way of your investigation, but we do need to do our jobs. Why don't you give your guys a break and give us, what? Half an hour? We'll let you know if we need more."

The detective gaped at him. "You want us to clear out? Listen, buddy-"

"Feel free to call your captain."

Kosinski stared at him for a long moment before pulling his phone from his pocket and dialing a number, shooting them both a look that told them not to move an inch.

"I told you it would have been easier if we'd just flashed a couple of FBI badges," Nez grumbled. "We wouldn't have gotten this runaround."

Tom shrugged. "Howard didn't want us to. It's an easy enough jump to Halcyon with Kat being the victim."

"You think she was the victim?" Nez asked softly.

"She didn't attack herself."

"No, but she _was_ loyal to Scottie. Maybe she was still working for her. Just because she came to you doesn't mean she's on the up and up."

He gave a small shrug, slightly amused by the increasingly frustrated expression Kosinski wore as he spoke to his boss. "She said something about it being _him_ and her blood was found at a crime scene with a dead John Doe. It's worth looking into."

"I'm not saying it's not. I'm just saying…" She sighed, shaking her head. "Scottie fooled us all, Tom. Don't hang your hopes on this."

"I don't have any hopes. I just want to find the truth."

"I don't know who the hell you two are," Kosinski said gruffly as he shoved his phone back in his pocket, "but you have thirty minutes. Not a second more. Don't take anything. Don't move anything. Don't touch anything without gloves."

"Not our first crime scene," Nez grumbled as she knelt down to start her search.

Tom tilted his head a little, waiting, until Kosinski called for his people to clear out. They filed out, and as the door closed behind them he loosed a breath.

"You know, the situation sucks, but I'm glad you decided to stay."

He turned to his partner who was inspecting a mast blood smear on the wall. "It's not permanent," he countered. "I just… She came to me. I feel responsible."

"You feel responsible for everything when it's personal," she offered.

"Not everything."

Nez quirked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything as he turned. They had a job to do.

* * *

There always seemed to be more questions than answers in his life. Some of his earliest memories were of wondering what he'd done wrong to be abandoned by his parents and left with Frank and Eva. Not that he hadn't made up for any innocence he might have started out with ten fold by the time he'd finally gotten away from them. If they were going to hate him anyway, he hadn't seen a reason to play nice. Nearly thirty years later and having finally met his biological parents, he still wasn't sure of the answer. He had told Nez that he didn't have any hopes when it came to Scottie, but that hadn't been entirely true. At least not from the beginning. He'd hoped that when he chose to go undercover in Halcyon that it would uncover more about his own past, but like with everything else he'd come out of it with more questions than answers.

Tom dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, frustrated with the way his tired mind was wandering. He was supposed to be home, winding down and crawling into bed with his wife, not still sitting in a hotel room and going over evidence that the NYPD had _finally_ sent over. Nothing seemed to be going his way with this.

He loosed a breath and pulled Skype up on his laptop, leaning back as it rang and rang. Just because she was listed as online rarely meant that she was. It was just past eight. If she'd had a long day she might just be getting Agnes down for the night or any number of things. It had been a small hope that she'd be nearby.

The call connected and Liz's face filled his screen. " _Hey you_ ," she greeted. " _I didn't expect to hear from you tonight. Everything okay_?"

"Yeah. I just needed to hear your voice," he admitted, watching the small smile perk his wife's lips.

" _Long day_?"

"And a lot of dead ends."

" _I'm going to guess that Kat hasn't woken up yet, huh?_ "

Tom snorted. "No. They have no idea when or even _if_ she will. I just wish that she'd been able to tell me something useful before passing out, you know?"

Liz quirked an eyebrow at him. " _Be sure to tell her that when she wakes up_."

"You know what I mean," he huffed. "This wasn't supposed to just keep going."

Liz offered him an understanding smile and she pulled a breath in. " _I know you don't want to hear this, but maybe Scottie is the person you need to talk to_."

Tom groaned. "There are so many reasons that's a terrible idea."

" _Kat obviously thought she'd been set up. You don't have to tell her everything, but maybe she'll be able to give you a place to start._ " She paused and even though he'd let his own eyes slip closer he could feel her gaze on him through the computer screen. " _Honey, I know you feel played by her. Believe me I get that. Have you talked to your dad about the jump drive yet?_ "

A knock at the door drew his attention. "Not yet."

" _This hasn't done anything good for your trust issues, has it?_ " she tried for a tease and that pulled a real smile from him.

"I trust you. Love you." The knock came again and Tom shot a glare at it like it's help. "Just a second!" he called. He looked back to the screen. "Hey, how'd that case go? You said that Red's people had Agnes, but you never said if you got the guy."

She gave him a thin smile. " _It's… we're fine. Agnes is safe. I'm safe. Go get the door. I'll fill you in on everything when you get home in a couple of days. Love you too._ "

The link shut down and Tom sat there for a long moment, staring at the screen before the knock came again. He set his jaw irritably as he stood, ready to lay into whoever was on the other side.

Howard Hargrave stood there, arms full of what looked like Chinese takeout and a six pack of beer. "You just gonna stand there or could you take something?"

Tom swallowed the complaint, his irritation turning to confusion as he took some of his load. "Howard, what-?"

"Dinner. You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

"No," the younger man answered carefully, wracking his brain to try to remember if he should have been expecting company that night.

"Figured. You come by it naturally. Get fixated on a problem and barely come up for air?"

"So says my wife," Tom chuckled. "You buy out the restaurant?"

Howard set the food and beer down on the table. "I realized I don't know what you like anymore. When you were little you were obsessed with spring rolls and fortune cookies. There was a stretch of… oh, I don't remember how long, but you wouldn't eat anything else."

A slow smile tugged at Tom's lips as he started digging through the food. "Seriously?"

"And you put it together with this chocolate drink your mother always mixed for you." The words took a turn downward at the end, like he said them before he realized he was referring to Scottie. He covered it just as quickly as it came and chuckled as he continued. "It was disgusting, but you loved it. Just wait until Agnes gets a little older. I bet you'll see the same with her."

"She's getting so big so fast it's bound to come soon. Right now Cheerios are the go-to." He pulled a chair up to the coffee table and took a seat. "You are planning to help with this, right?"

Howard gave him a crooked sort of smile that matched the spark of mischief in his eyes as he took a seat on the couch. They started in on the food, the conversation starting with the variety he'd brought and winding around to different topics. It was strange how easy Tom felt with him like that. He told his father about Wing Yee's and about his and Liz's history with the little restaraunt. He watched Howard's smile grow as they talked about about Agnes and how Tom was determined to be home before she took her first steps.

"You don't want to miss those," Howard said, his voice soft as he watched his son.

"I meant to be home by now."

"No one will think any less of you if you take a few days. Go home. See your wife and daughter. Help Liz get ready for the party. Nez and Dumont can hold down the fort on the investigation until you get back. If something new turns up or if Kat wakes up, you're only an hour away."

"My ticket's already booked."

"So cancel it. I'll have the jet take you first thing in the morning. Surprise Liz."

Tom's smile returned and he had to admit that sounded good. "You'll call if anything changes here?"

"You'll be my first call."

He nodded slowly. He could use the break. A long weekend at home rather than the quick turnaround for Agnes' birthday that it had turned into would be perfect to help steady him and get a better perspective.

"I'll tell Mick to have the jet ready for you to leave at...nine? Sound good?"

Tom blinked hard, pulled back around. "Yeah. That should work. I, uh, before I completely bail," he said, standing to go for his cell phone that was still on the desk. "Trevor Sanders. Does that name name ring a bell?"

He glanced back at Howard. "Not immediately. He linked to the case?"

"Yeah." Tom pulled the photos up and tossed his phone over.

His father made a face as he scrolled through. "Glad you waited until after we ate."

"That's the guy from the crime scene Nez and I visited. Still no ID on him. Name's an alias."

"Kat's blood there?"

"Yep. And her fingerprints in the blood all over the murder weapon."

"I wouldn't have thought she had it in her, but no. I don't recognize him." Howard stood, grabbing his own phone from the table and pocketing it before handing his son's back to him.

"Worth a shot," Tom murmured. "Nine AM?"

"Nine AM," Howard confirmed.

* * *

This was a mistake.

It wasn't the first time the thought had flittered through his mind, and each time it did Tom Keen stopped, uncertain if he should turn and walk away or take the risk. He had made it this far, though, and the hope that Howard knew who this Trevor Sanders was had been been his desperate attempt to find _something_ of value before he took a couple of days from the investigation. He owed Kat that much. This was his last resort.

The plane was set to leave the airport in two hours. He had sent his bag along ahead of him - apparently people did that sort of thing - so that he could make his stop. He'd fought with every possible excuse all night long, leaving him tossing and turning, but in the end Liz's quiet advice had won out. She was probably right. She usually was.

"Name and ID," the bored looking man on the other side of the counter said and Tom realized he'd made it through the door this time. No turning back now.

He cleared his throat, reaching for his wallet that held both his driver's license and Halcyon credentials. "Thomas Keen to see Susan Hargrave," he said as he slid them over.

"Don't move," came the gruff response as he stood, disappearing back out of sight. Tom stood there, his gaze sweeping the room out of habit. Cameras, guards, and protocols that were rarely bent as far as they eye could see. Scottie wasn't allowed visitors in general, but he had no question that his name was on a very, very short list.

The man returned, taking his time as he plopped back down into his chair and eyed Tom just a moment before handing him a visitor's pass. "Through those doors and they'll escort you in. Pick your IDs up in the way out."

Tom gave a curt nod and followed the instructions. He was led to a room with a little table in the center, a chair on either side. He took a seat and waited, nerves on edge and the desire to run almost overwhelming. His eyes kept finding the clock on the wall, watching the second tick by. He was going to be late. It didn't matter, he reminded himself firmly. It was a private flight. It wasn't going to leave without him.

After what felt like hours but was really only a handful of minutes, the door opened and Scottie Hargrave was led in. They cuffed her to the table and she sat there silently for a long moment, those dark eyes of hers studying him. Tom squared his shoulders a little, refusing to back down. He could fake this. He could make her believe this wasn't the last place he wanted to be. He swallowed, ready to start, but Scottie cut him off. "Did you use your own name? Your father will know you were here."

"Not sure why you think I need to hide that fact from him," Tom answered, pleasantly surprised that his voice was steadier than he had expected it to be.

"Because your father is delusional, Christopher."

"Tom," he corrected. "My name hasn't been Christopher for a long time. Being here doesn't just wipe away everything that happened to me."

"He's dangerous," she pressed.

"He didn't have me beaten for information that I didn't even have or nearly have me put down in the street by a sniper. That was you."

Scottie stiffened very slightly. "Howard told you about that."

"He did."

"I didn't…" She stopped, closing her eyes briefly before reopening them and offering him a thin, fake smile. "Why are you here, Tom?"

There it was. That control. He'd thought it was going to slip just for a moment, but her gaze turned cold and this was a professional meeting now. He could do that. He could handle professional. It was the personal aspects that got him. "Kat Carlson."

"What about her?"

It was Tom's turn to study her, looking for any small changes to signal that she had sent someone after her employee to set him on a different trail. "Does she have any enemies?"

Scottie looked a little startled by the question. "Not that I'm aware of."

"No one that would gain anything from hurting her?"

"Has something happened to her?"

"That wasn't the question I asked."

She didn't seem to care. "How badly?"

Tom straightened in the hardbacked chair and he took a calculated risk. "Her blood was found at a crime scene with a dead John Doe. His face was bashed in." He held up his phone, the photo that he'd snapped at the crime scene visible. "Any idea who he might have been?"

To her credit, Scottie looked a little ill at the photo. "Trevor," she breathed.

So she knew him, and by the name that he'd given the hotel no less. "How did Kat know him?"

Scottie pursed her lips together. "She was sleeping with him."

"How do you know that? You had her followed?"

"I know because I was sleeping with him too."

Tom quirked an eyebrow. "What's Trevor's real name?"

"Daniel."

"And does Daniel have a last name?"

She offered a shrug and he felt his patience wearing thin.

"Scottie," he said firmly and she rolled her eyes a little, her movement flippant.

"I don't know it."

"You expect me to believe that? I know what kind of background checks you do on your people that you bring in, so if you expect me to believe that you didn't know the name of the person you were sleeping with-"

She leaned forward, cutting him off. "Believe what you want. I don't know his last name. He told me his name was Trevor. It was Kat that told me Daniel, and I don't even know if that's true." She paused, watching him watching her. She was purposefully not saying something and Tom had no interest in giving until she said it. Scottie seemed to understand that and she gave him a showy sigh, rolling her eyes as she did. "He was an escort."

It took a moment for Tom to wrap his mind around what she said and if he'd heard her right. "You were sleeping with a prostitute?"

"He was a good listener."

There were some things he would have preferred going the rest of his life not hearing. That was one of them. "I bet he was. My guess is that he was also a covert operative, and not even yours. Okay then."

Scottie shot him a long suffering look. "I didn't tell him anything to compromise security."

"Someone with access did." Tom stood from his place.

"Tom," Scottie called out, rattling the cuffs as if she had meant to reach out to them. He turned to see her gaze fixed on him. "I was set up."

He paused, turning the words over in his mind before finally letting them slip out. "For this, maybe."

With that Tom turned, tapping on the door to signal the guard. He had more than he'd come in with at least and he could get that to Nez to set her on the trail. For now, he was going home.

* * *

Notes: So here it is, the new summer project that I've been talking about. I'm very excited about this one and I'd love to know your thoughts on it so far! :D

Next time - The Keens take their moments of peace where they can get them for Agnes' birthday.


	2. Glitter and Tiaras

**Chapter Two: Glitter and Tiaras**

Somewhere in the back of her mind Liz had realized that she had been working and moving nonstop, but she wasn't sure that she'd given herself time to really think about it until she had sat down and walked through the events of the last week or two with Tom over dinner. He'd surprised her by coming into town early and they'd spent their evening catching each other up on everything. As much as she would have loved to talk to him every night that he was away, that wasn't always an option and the longer he was away, the more that he had piling on his plate, the less she'd been willing to share the chaos on her end. It wasn't that she didn't _want_ him to know, not really. It was that he had enough to deal with and she didn't want him to worry. Still, keeping things was a slippery slope for them, and they both knew it, so dinner had been a share-all, and as Liz had walked through the chaos of the last couple of weeks, she realized that she hadn't really stopped to breathe recently.

Tom had taken things in stride, but she hadn't missed the look on his eyes when she had told him that Reddington had been the one to hire the the Debt Collector to kidnap her and use her to lure Kate Kaplan out. He didn't say anything, didn't bring it back up when she changed the subject, but there was a dangerous look in his eyes for just a moment that told her exactly how he felt about the whole ordeal.

Their life had been nonstop for so long that sometimes it was strange to think about slowing down. She had worried about it from time to time, the idea that if the fight finally wound down, where did it leave them? She had thought they had been happy in their townhouse with Hudson and the hopes of adopting, and in a way they had been, but they had both worn masks. They had both played parts. She knew now that Tom, while certainly not as active in covert operations as he was these days, had run ops during their first marriage, and she'd desperately fought to convince herself that she was that pink and perfect little FBI agent that she never really could be. They were both still learning things about themselves, bit by bit, and she had about decided that their brand of normal might not be what everyone else saw as normal. Still, as Liz slowly surfaced from what was likely the best night's sleep she had had since her husband had left for New York, she thought that they'd earned a day for them. Something without shooting or kidnapping or explosions. Something peaceful for their family.

Liz turned over in the bed, reaching for her husband and finding only an empty space with the blankets pushed back. Slowly, sleepily, she sat up, sheets wrapped around her, and looked over at the clock. It was nearly eight-thirty. She hadn't slept in that late since Agnes had been born, which explained where Tom was.

A few minutes later she'd managed to pull herself out of bed, grabbing a t-shirt of his out of his bag that he'd dropped next to the dresser, and shuffled into the hall while stifling a yawn. She found Agnes in her highchair, giggling like crazy, and Tom still grinning about something as he flipped the bacon in his pan. "Is your daddy being funny, sweetie?" she asked, leaning down to kiss one of her daughter's chubby cheeks.

"She and I've been singing," Tom chuckled, and Liz spotted his phone attached to the speakers on the table. The next song switched over and Agnes giggled again, babbling along with it. Tom's grin only grew as he bent down and pulled toast out of the oven.

The smile was contagious and Liz crossed the space between them, wrapping her arms around him from behind and pressing a kiss between his shoulder blades. She felt his chuckle more than heard it. "Good morning."

"Working on it," she teased, tightening her grip. In the rush of everything, she hadn't realized just how badly she had missed him.

"You're not going in today, are you?"

"Nope. I have this crazy thing that seems to be called a day off," she said as she reluctantly released him so that he could switch the bacon out for their scrambled eggs. "You and I are going to be knee deep in tiaras, streamers, and glitter. Right, Agnes? Yay?"

Agnes giggled, throwing her hands in the air in a mimicked motion and squealing.

"Yay!" Liz laughed as their daughter continued the expression. "Is Howard still coming?"

She glanced back to see a brief flash of confusion across Tom's face. "Far as I know. That still okay?"

"He's your father. Of course it is."

He dumped the newly scrambled eggs onto a plate and Liz reached for two for them to use to use. "Is Reddington coming?" he asked, the question a little hesitant.

Liz pursed her lips together. "I'm not sure. He wanted to come up and see her the other day and I told him that unless he could promise not to hurt Kaplan that he wasn't welcome."

"Fair."

"But then he said that he'd be willing to co-exist with her a couple of days ago."

"When he kidnapped you?" Tom popped off and she shot him a warning look. He returned it with his best innocent expression that would have fooled anyone but his wife that knew him too well.

"I don't know where that leaves us, honestly. I'm… really pissed, but it's Agnes' birthday. I don't want a scene. If he shows, can you play nice?"

He snorted a laugh, setting his coffee cup down. "Yeah, babe. I'll play nice."

She shook her head, a smile playing on her lips as she shovelled a bite of food into her mouth. "I've missed you."

"Yeah? Because I didn't get that impression at _all_ last night," he teased suggestively and winked at her.

She rolled her eyes and gave him a hard nudge with her foot under the table, pulling a grin out of him. The mischief didn't leave his eyes as he turned back to his breakfast, amused and happy. It was something that they both desperately needed, and she refused to let anything take away from it.

* * *

It was amazing how many places glitter could get, especially when a one year old got ahold of a bottle. Tom was covered in the stuff, as was the living room floor. Agnes hadn't quite got to the walking stage yet, but she was definitely crawling with the best of them, scooting around her parents' feet as they decorated the apartment and pulling herself up to reach for things that she never would have been able to go after a couple of months before. She had the throwing thing down too, sending glitter in all directions before Tom had managed to coax the mostly-empty bottle away from her without sending her into hysterics.

"One final touch," Liz said with a grin as she pulled a tiara from behind her back and put it on his head. "Look how pretty Daddy is, Agnes."

"Uh-huh," he chuckled.

"It goes nicely with your pink and purple sparkle."

She motioned to the glitter all up and down his white shirt and he grinned, pulling her into a tight hug and she immediately started trying to squirm away. "Tom! Tom, let go!" she managed between laughs as she tried to pull away.

He grinned, refusing to let go. "Agnes shared it with me and now it's your turn."

She was still laughing as Tom picked her up fully off the floor and she leaned down into the kiss, both of them covered in pink and purple glitter now.

They parted and Tom reluctantly set her back down as someone knocked on the door. "It's open," Liz managed, still laughing, and he wrapped an arm around her and kissed the side of her head as their front door opened and Donald Ressler stepped in. He quirked an eyebrow and Liz narrowed her eyes. "Say one thing about it and the rest of the bottle goes over your head."

Her partner held his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not getting in the middle of all of that," he said, a small smirk playing on his features. "Love the tiara, Tom."

"Laugh it up, Ressler. Yours has feathers."

"Hey, I'm just here for the birthday girl," he chuckled and Agnes looked up from where she was sitting on the floor, big blue eyes wide as she spotted the bag in her Uncle Donnie's hand. Ressler handed it to Liz. "I, uh, wasn't sure exactly what to get her, and she really can't wear it until she's older, but-"

Tom peered over as Liz dug into the bag and pulled out a small chain with a pedant on the end. "It's St Christopher. He's the patron saint of protection for travelers, and since she's already been so many places... I know she's too little right now, but it's something she can grow into."

"It's perfect, Ress. Thank you."

Their unconventional group filtered in over the next little bit, bringing gifts and leaving Agnes giggling and sharing her glitter with them every time they picked her up. She went for hair and jewelry and fingers, holding tight to her godparents that all talked about needing to get by more. Chatter filled the apartment and there was something nice about seeing these people without the bullets flying or someone having been kidnapped.

"So where's Aram's new girlfriend I heard something about?" Tom asked, coming to stand next to Ressler.

"You mean the old new girlfriend? He started dating the girl that used him to hack our systems for Kirk. I don't even know the whole story."

"She was a hacker, right? They probably gave her a deal if she was good enough," Tom mused.

"Yeah, but why go back to her? She was hot. Not that hot."

The ginger agent stopped then and Tom broken into a grin and shrugged. "I have zero room to judge that situation."

Ressler cleared his throat awkwardly. "Anyway, she's not exactly popular with the team."

"Been there. You guys hold a grudge."

Ressler rolled his eyes and motioned to the door where Howard Hargrave had just entered, looking as if he were making sure he was in the right place as he did. "Is that who I think it is? He was in the Post Office a week or two ago. Liz said he's your dad?"

Tom offered a quirked smile. "Yeah. It's been… complicated lately."

"When is it not with you two?" his wife's partner asked and Tom rolled his eyes a little, as he moved forward.

"You made it," he greeted, his own smile a little more hesitant than Howard's. His father beamed as soon as he spotted him.

"I wouldn't miss it. You weren't kidding about the princess theme, were you?"

Tom chuckled as he reached up, plucking the tiara that he'd all but forgotten about off of his head and examining it. "Yeah, Agnes loves them. She won't wear one herself, of course, but Samar tried to take hers off a little bit ago and Agnes had a meltdown until she put it back on. I'm still not sure if it was adorable or scary." Howard laughed at him and Tom offered a lopsided smile. "You wanna meet her?"

He waited for the older man to nod and motioned for him to follow to where Cooper had Agnes in his arms and the little girl was watching him with wide, blue eyes, absolutely mesmerized by something that wasn't immediately evident. Cooper looked over and paused half a beat when he noticed that Howard. "Mr Hargrave. You're looking better than the last time I saw you."

"What, in a mental institution?" Howard chuckled. "Leave it to Scottie to blow things out of proportion to distract from whatever she's doing. Is this the little princess herself?"

Agnes blinked at him, her expression even as she watched him. Tom took her from Cooper and she held onto her daddy. "Say hi to your grandpa, Agnes," Tom coaxed softly and she gripped at his t-shirt, burying her face against his chest.

"I don't think I've ever seen that little girl shy," Cooper murmured and Tom didn't miss the disappointment that flashed through Howard's eyes.

"She's just overwhelmed. Lots of people."

"I know what she needs." Howard reached forward without warning and took the tiara that Tom still had loosely clutched in his fingers and put it on his own head. "Better, little princess?" he asked with a smile and Agnes turned to look at him, her gaze curious and studying as she looked the smiling man up and down. Slowly the smile broke out and she giggled, reaching forward to him, her fingers going for his beard.

"I think you won her over," Liz said and Tom felt her briefly touch his back as she approached him from behind. "So, we've got cake for everyone and a smash cake for Agnes. You got her?"

"What? You don't want cake all over you too?" Tom asked with a big grin that probably would have gotten him a punch to the shoulder if he hadn't been holding their child. He bounced her a little. "What do you say, baby girl? What's one more mess today, huh? Let's just try to keep the glitter out of the food."

He turned, starting towards the highchair, but he felt Liz's fingers latch onto the hem of his shirt to discreetly stop him. "Reddington's on his way."

"I told you I'd play nice," he promised and he saw the hesitation in her eyes before she nodded. He offered her a playful smile and kissed her cheek. "Love you."

That pulled a tired smile from her as well and for just a moment, he saw just how heavily this was weighing on her. The sooner that they got control of all of the craziness that was happening around them, the better. She shouldn't have to face this alone and he hated that she had. Maybe he'd extend his stay for a couple days more. He could just have Nez send him anything that needed to be looked at and he could take a nice, long weekend with his family. It would help him reset and get a better outlook on the case and could give Liz at least a little support. As he got Agnes settled in the highchair, Liz bringing over the tiny little cake for her, the decision was made. He needed them just as much as they needed him.

* * *

The smash cake had been a success in all the ways it had been meant to be a success. Agnes had stuffed handfuls in her mouth, smearing the icing everywhere and giggling all the way through. Liz watched with a lingering smile, shaking her head as her daughter offered her a fistful of pink and purple icing that may have been part of one of the princesses that had decorated it at one time.

Dembe's call had come nearly an hour before, but even as everyone started to filter out, the birthday girl at her limit for the day, there was no sign of him or Reddington. They said their goodbyes, Agnes latched onto her daddy like she'd never let him go. It was the only thing that kept the tears at bay and he stood bouncing her even as Aram said his last goodbye, leaving the Keens and Howard as the only ones that left.

Howard lingered, almost as if he were afraid to break the spell, and Liz watched her father-in-law watch his own son and granddaughter, a fond sort of smile playing on his lips and he slowly pulled the tiara off his head and motioned over to where Tom was bouncing Agnes gently, speaking in low tones to her. "She really is beautiful."

"Thank you," Liz answered, her own smile still lingering. "We're pretty proud of her."

"And you should be." Howard paused and Liz watched him out of the corner of her eye. She hadn't spent a great deal of time around her husband's father, but it still shook her when she caught glimpses in him that were so undeniably Tom. The mischievous look in his eyes, that very tiny smile that he got. Even the look that said he was turning over something that he wanted to say, but was getting a feel for the reaction he should expect.

"Whatever you're going to ask, you might as well ask it," she murmured, still watching him.

Howard gave a soft laugh. "I'm sure you're aware that Tom went to go see his mother before leaving New York."

Liz met Howard's gaze, not confirming or denying the statement, but she waited, letting him continue.

He pulled in a deep breath. "I'm just worried about him. Scottie is… manipulative. Very manipulative. She'll use him to get what she wants and then she'll toss him away."

There was something in his expression that she recognized. "She hurt you pretty badly, didn't she?"

"That obvious?"

"My guess is you wear a pretty good front with most people. Tom does. He's very good at it."

"He is."

Liz pursed her lips and closed her eyes for the briefest moment. "Listen, Howard-" The knock at the door drew her attention and she glanced over to see Agnes stirring in Tom's arms, her whimper starting to build into what might turn into a full tantrum if they weren't careful.

"I should probably get going anyway," Howard acknowledged.

"I'm glad you made it," Liz said.

"Me too. Let me say goodbye to Tom and Agnes and I'll let you two have some downtime."

She moved over to the door just in time to see it open, Reddington peeking in very hesitantly. "I didn't want to intrude," he told her and she offered him a tired smile.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to come after all."

"A bit of business got in the way."

"Everyone okay?"

"For now," he acknowledged, Dembe following him into the apartment and he held up a stuffed bear with a red bowtie. "Is the birthday girl still taking presents?"

"I think she can manage one more. Howard's just saying goodbye to her." Reddington's gaze drifted past Liz and she followed it very briefly before turning back to him. "You've met him before, haven't you?"

Red tilted his head ever so slightly, his gaze remaining on Tom's father. "We had a brief professional relationship," he said, though Liz heard all the signs that that wasn't all there was to it. She was just too tired to push it right then.

"Raymond Reddington," Howard greeted as he looked over and he offered Red a very charming smile. "It's been a while."

"It has."

Howard shot him a look that Liz wasn't quite sure she knew the meaning of and started towards the door. "Thank you again for the invite, Liz. Tom, take your time. We'll handle the case. You enjoy this lovely family of yours."

"I think I can manage that," Tom answered and pressed a kiss to Agnes' head as Howard left. "Agnes, you wanna wake up for another present? Look there. Hey, you," he teased her softly as she squirmed, trying desperately to bury her face in the crook of his shoulder and ignore him.

Reddington moved around behind Tom and Liz saw him make a goofy face for Agnes, the little girl tried not to laugh as she burying her nose in her daddy's shoulder again even as Red brought the bear up into her line of sight.

"She's had a long day," Liz explained.

"We have that in common then," Reddington murmured. "I won't keep you. I just wanted to drop this by and wish her a very happy first birthday."

Agnes gave a big yawn and Tom shifted her. "I'm going to go try to get some of that glitter and cake off of her before bed."

Liz nodded, catching the quick exit for what it was. Playing nice looked like it was simply not speaking to Reddington. She couldn't really fault him. At least he was standing by his word and trying.

"Did Kate reach out to you for the birthday?" Reddington asked and Liz turned, startled by the question.

"Is that why you're here?"

He blinked owlishly at her. "No, of course not. I'm here to wish Agnes a happy birthday and bring her her present. I was merely curious."

"It wouldn't be the first time you used me to get to her." She pulled in a sharp breath as soon as the words had escaped. She was tired. Too tired. She'd promised herself she wouldn't harp on this. She hated that he'd done it, but there was no changing it. Holding a grudge over it would do neither of them any good in the end and with Agent Gale breathing down their necks they all needed to be on the same side. "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, Elizabeth," he said quietly and he was already fitting his hat back on his head. "I'll leave you and Tom to get Agnes down for the night."

"Reddington?" He stopped, turning and she met his gaze. "Thank you for coming. And for the bear. Agnes will love it when she's awake enough to realize it's hers."

He gave her an almost sad smile. "Good night, Elizabeth."

She watched him go, the door closing behind him and she loosed a breath she didn't realize that she'd been holding before padding down the hall to lock the door behind them. She turned back, eyeing the chaos that was left in the wake. Everyone had done what they could by putting their trash away, but the apartment was covered in glitter and there were pieces of smash cake all over the kitchen and Agnes' highchair. It'd have to wait until morning.

Tom was already getting Agnes into her onsie after her bath by the time Liz made it to the bathroom door. He was soaked from it, but she was dry, clean, and already nearly asleep. He picked her up and she flopped halfway over his shoulder as he turned and a slow, questioning smile tilted his lips as he found his wife staring at him. "What?"

"You. Covered in glitter and with Agnes like that. It's just… better than I could have imagined a couple years ago."

His smile grew just a little more. "We've come a long ways."

She nodded, stepping into the bathroom. "Why don't you go put her to bed and you and I can get cleaned up?"

"I like that idea," he answered and leaned down to kiss her.

She broke it quicker than either of them would have liked. "Go. Kid first, then shower."

"Right," he chuckled and she rolled her eyes at him as she leaned over to switch the shower on, peeling off her clothes and stepping in to let the hot water start to work at the stress knots. It was good to have him home. It felt right. She knew he needed to find answers about his family, and she even understood that he felt like he needed to make sure that he'd found the _right_ answers, and she didn't want to take him away from that, but with everything that had been happening lately, she needed him there, even if only for a few days. She needed to be able to lean in and have him wrap his arms around her so that she could just forget for a few minutes that they were on a knife's edge and her life wasn't the only one on the line. She needed, just for a moment, not to have to try so damn hard to hold it all together.

She heard the door to the shower open up and Tom stepped in behind her. A small smile perked her lips as she felt his hands go to her shoulders, working at the tension there as the water fell around both of them. "You okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"I'm trying to be."

He leaned down and Liz tilted her head a little as she felt him press a kiss to the crook of her neck, her breath escaping her. After a moment she turned, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking up at him. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," he answered, his voice a little rough and she tipped up on her toes to initiate the kiss this time. Her hand snaked to the back of his neck, pulling him down and deepening it, and for just a moment it was just them. There was no investigation, no parent drama, and nothing that needed their attention. Reddington, Howard, Scottie, Gale, and Kaplan… none of it mattered. It was just her and the man that she loved, and right then, that's what Liz needed most.

* * *

Notes: First, major hat tip to the Ressler RP account over on Tumblr for the amazing gift idea for Agnes. They did a birthday party and Ress gave her a St Christopher necklace. The RPer was nice enough to let me bum that fantastic idea of of them.

Second, I can't tell you how much fun I had with this chapter. There's a lot of drama in this story, but I love those breaths that the Keens catch every great once and a while, and I love their crazy little extended family. This chapter leaves me with all the happy feels.

Next time - Kat wakes up, Tom asks a hard question, and Howard visits Scottie.


	3. Choosing to Trust

**Chapter Three: Choosing to Trust**

He always slept better when Liz was next to him. He felt safe with her and that let him slip deeper into sleep than he did anywhere else. That was why it took him so long to come out of it that morning, the phone buzzing on the nightstand next to him, and Liz grumbling in his ear but not moving from where she was curled up next to him, her arm latched around his middle and holding on tight. "I know," he mumbled, shifting to try to grab for the phone as it continued to buzz obnoxiously. "I hear it."

"Make it stop," his wife groused irritably and he felt her bury her face in the pillow.

Tom grabbed for the phone, blinking hard to clear his contacts so that he could actually see the name on the caller ID. "Nez, what's up?"

" _Where the hell have you been?_ "

He groaned a little, trying to shift, but Liz was having none of it. She tightened her grip on him and he didn't have the heart to wake her up any more than the phone conversation would. "Sleeping," he muttered, glancing at the clock. "Like any normal person at this hour. You knew I was coming back for my daughter's birthday party."

" _You're gonna want to get back here._ "

"Why's that?"

" _Kat woke up._ "

That brought him fully around. "What?" he demanded, sitting up and Liz made a startled sound. "When?"

" _About an hour ago. I've been trying to reach you. I know you wanted to talk to her before the cops, but there's only so much we can do to keep them at bay on this one. Get to New York._ "

"What's wrong?" Liz asked, finally awake enough to catch on.

"Kat's awake," he mouthed and she nodded, finally releasing him. He tossed the covers back, rolling out of bed and grabbing a t-shirt discarded on the floor. "Get in there. Talk to her. Find out what she knows about this Trevor Sanders and if she thinks he's working alone or with someone. Call me when you're done." He ended the call, finding that he'd paced out into the living room. He loosed a long breath, turning back to the bedroom. There went his long weekend.

Liz was up by the time he walked back in, and she had his bag out on the bed. "Good thing you didn't unpack yet. I hope you weren't planning to take this t-shirt with you."

He cracked a small smile. "I think I can part with it." He moved forward and Liz straightened where she stood. Tom took her hands and kissed her knuckles. "How pissed are you?"

She offered a thin smile. "You've got a job to do. The sooner you get to the bottom of this, the sooner you come home to us." She tightened her grip around his fingers. "You just better say goodbye to a little girl that may just miss you more."

Tom groaned and kissed her forehead. "A weekend shouldn't have been too much to ask."

"I miss you, but if anyone gets it, I do."

"I know. And you've been amazing with it. Thank you."

"We're in this together," she reminded him, finally pulling a small smile from him. She tipped up on her toes, pressing a kiss to his lips that he would have preferred had lasted just a little longer. "Just come home at the end of it."

"Always."

* * *

It had taken some phone calls, but in the end they had bought her some time before the NYPD came traipsing through the hospital to interrogate Kat Carlson. The doctors had been helpful in that, saying that she was hardly stable and barely conscious. That had been helpful until they tried to keep her out as well.

Nez nodded as she passed the Halcyon guards at the door, slipping into the room. The nurse at the bedside gave her a look that was something between irritated and worried. "Just a few minutes. Don't agitate her. If it becomes too stressful, we'll need to ask you to leave, do you understand?"

"Crystal clear," the weapons expert said as she waited, making it clear that the conversation needed to be had in private. Once the nurse was gone she turned back to the bed, her expression softening just a little. "Hey, Kat."

She looked terrible, though not quite as bad as she had looked the during the time that they weren't sure if she'd wake up or not. She hadn't gotten the colour back in her face and there was a dull look to her blue eyes. Nez knew the medicated look well enough, but the blonde tried for a small smile at least. "Hey."

"They just took the tube out yesterday, so you're bound to be a little sore," Nez explained, "but if you're up to it I do have a few questions."

Kat pulled in a shaky breath. "Tom?" she managed.

"He's on the case. He'll be back in New York as soon as he can. He had his daughter's birthday party. I'm sure we'll both be inundated with photos and videos as soon as he gets back," Nez said, her voice flippant, but a small smile tugged at her lips at the thought of the way that her calculating partner all but melted at the mention of his daughter. Her gaze refocused on Kat. "You went to him. Why?"

"Not who?" Kat asked, and Nez thought maybe she'd underestimated the effect of the drugs in in the other woman's system.

"We know who," she answered. "That wasn't a far leap when your blood was found all over the murder scene." Pale eyes glanced back towards the door. "Didn't think you had it in you, Kat."

"Me neither," came the soft answer.

"Who was Trevor Sanders and why did you go to Tom and not call it in?"

The injured woman didn't respond for a long moment and Nez had about decided that she'd drifted back to sleep, but then a pair of blue eyes fluttered back open and focused in on her. Kat cleared her throat and swallowed hard. "He set Scottie up. We were both… sleeping with him, and I realized that the payments that the FBI had found for the prototype corresponded with when he and I were together." She coughed hard and winced.

"Take it slow," Nez coaxed, handing her a cup of water and waited until she'd gotten some of it down. So far her story was adding up to what Tom had gotten from Scottie, and as much as Nez tended to question, well, everyone, she couldn't envision a way that Scottie had gotten that information over to Kat. Unless it had all been preplanned, of course, but that took it to a whole new level of paranoia that Nez wasn't sure she was comfortable going for yet.

"I confronted him and he attacked me. I don't… remember much. I don't even know what he stabbed me with. Who the hell keeps a knife within reach in a hotel room?"

Nez snorted a laugh. "Well…." She saw the hint of a smile at the weak joke and then shook her head. "It was an icepick, actually."

"That's not better."

"People get creative."

Kat squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, her face tight with pain. "He… I think he was trying to get information from Scottie. When he didn't, he started on me."

"Did you get the impression he was working alone?"

She paused, her gaze flickering away. "I don't know what my impression was. I was such an idiot."

"You wouldn't be the first one to get honey trapped." A tap at the door drew her attention and Nez saw the nurse motion from outside. She sighed. "Get some rest, okay? And let's try to keep this in house. If the cops ask, it's a blur."

"Not too much of a lie. When he gets here, would it be possible to speak to Tom?"

There was a short pause before she nodded. "Yeah, I'll make sure that happens."

"Nez?" The former Navy office paused halfway through turning towards the exit. There was something sharp in Kat's eyes, cutting through pain and medication alike. Determination. "He set Scottie up. She's not what Howard thinks she is."

The nurse opened the door, motioning, and Nez turned without saying anything else. She couldn't shake the feeling that Kat was holding back on something, careful on what information she released and how she released it. She wasn't sure she could blame her, necessarily, after what had happened, but it didn't instill a lot of trust on her end.

Loyalties had been up in the air since it'd come out that Scottie had tried to kill Howard and she had hoped that with that out in the open that they might settle back out. So far, that didn't look like it was happening.

Nez was halfway down the hall when she heard the sound of the machines screaming and medical personnel came rushing past her and into Kat's room.

* * *

Things started to go south with Kat by the time that the jet's wheels had touched down in New York City and she was gone by the time Tom reached the hospital. There was a somber silence that stretched through the Halcyon employees that had stood guard. Even with the recent turmoil in the ranks, Kat had been one of their own.

Nez sat in a chair in the hallway, leaned forward with her elbows on her knees and her hair falling in her face. She looked tired. He didn't say anything as he took a heavy seat next to her, leaning back so that his head thumped lightly against the wall. He'd gotten there too late.

"I know that we work for an intelligence organization, and with that there're secrets," Nez said after a long moment, "but there've been too many lately. Scottie. Howard. You. Maybe it's something in the Hargrave DNA or maybe it's just the nature of everything that's happened. I don't know. What I do know is that I can't work with you if I don't trust you."

Tom didn't answer right away. Instead he turned the words over in his mind a moment, letting them sink in. Finally he sat forward just a little, finding his partner watching him closely. "Why don't you trust me, Nez?"

Pale eyes studied him, moving up and down. "Because you may think of me like a sister, but you don't trust me like one."

"I do trust you."

"You're a liar by trade, Keen."

He pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Try to see it from my view for five seconds, would you? I've been given the runaround since I started in this mess, Nez. My father dropped into my life - a father I don't know, don't remember, and that I'd seen on the news had died in a plane crash - and told me my mother - that I only knew because Reddington twisted her arm into helping us because she was responsible for nearly getting Liz killed - had sabotaged his plane and tried to kill him and that I needed to go undercover in her company to expose it. I'd just started to _trust_ Scottie when she kidnapped Howard and had me beaten to hell. Oh, and told Solomon to shoot me dead in the street before she found out who I was. Don't think I'd mentioned that one." He stopped, hearing just how insane it sounded even though he'd just lived it and he squeezed his eyes closed a moment, shaking his head. "Liz is right. This hasn't done anything for my trust issues."

Nez was quiet for a long moment and he heard her sigh. "I get it. I'm not saying you don't have every right to have trust issues, Tom. What I'm saying is that if you want me to trust you, you're gonna have to trust me in return. Call me family all day long, but you're never going to fully have my back if you're always trying to decide if I've got yours or not, and I can't work with you like that." She paused and when Tom didn't look up from the spot on the tile that he was fixated on, she nudged him hard in the arm. "And hey? I _want_ to have your back."

Tom jerked up, blinking hard and staring at her. The words rang true and he made a leap of faith. "I haven't told anyone from Halcyon yet. I've been… trying to decide who I trust and who I don't, I guess. Kat gave me a jump drive when she came to the hotel. It's what she worked so hard to get to me. It's… financials. That's all I've been able to tell so far."

"When I talked to her Kat said something about the payments corresponding with the times she was with our dead John Doe."

"We have her laptop, don't we?"

"I don't think so, but there was a laptop at the crimescene. Power was dead because it'd been left open."

"So the cops have it?"

"Bet so. You think it's Kat's?"

He closed his eyes before forcing himself to meet her gaze. "She said it was _him_."

"You think she meant Howard, don't you?"

Tom risked a glance over to her. He didn't want to. He didn't want to even contemplate it, but he needed more information, and with Kat's death, it complicated matters even more than they were. "I think we need that laptop."

"What laptop?"

Both Tom and Nez turned to see Howard standing in the hallway, dressed like he'd just come from a board meeting. Nez cleared her throat. "Thank you," she said very quietly so that only he could hear, and stood to move past Howard and down towards the exit.

Tom looked over to his father and watched him watching him. He thought he'd given up on needing a father in his life a long time ago, but somewhere along the way Howard and broken through some of his walls. He'd made him want to get to know him, to care about him, and to trust him. He'd chosen to trust him, and while Tom knew that his emotions had a habit of clouding his judgement when it came to certain situations, he was desperate to know that Howard had been honest with him. He'd been toyed with enough over the years. He wasn't sure he could take this man dropping back into his life after so long just to use him to retake his company.

"Tell me you didn't have anything to do with Kat's death."

Howard stared blankly at him for a long moment and Tom could see him grasping at possible reasons for the statement. The words had slipped from him before he'd given them permission to, but right then, he needed to know, and he didn't know any other way to find out than to give his father a chance to be honest with him and hope that he'd be able to tell a truth from a lie.

"Scottie," Howard said after a long moment, and Tom's mother's name left his father's lips almost like a curse. "Scottie put this in your head. Tom-"

"Why do you think that?"

The older man shook his head, sighing. "Because I know her. She…" A mirthless chuckle escaped him and he blinked hard, as if trying to bring himself back under control. "I loved her. I know you don't remember that, but I loved that woman more than life itself, but she… She is _incapable_ of returning that, Tom. If that's her fault or not, I don't know. What I do know is that she manipulates people into doing whatever she wants or needs them to do, and she will make you believe whatever will get her to her goal. She will get in your head and twist it around until you don't know what's up or down. That's who your mother is. Katherine Carson is dead because of Scottie."

"So… what? You think she's behind the attack to make it look like you set her up?"

"I wouldn't put it past her."

Tom nodded slowly, every warning that Reddington had left him with about Scottie Hargrave echoing in his mind. He looked up, his eyes meeting a lighter shade of blue. "I need to hear you say it."

"Kat's death is a tragedy. I didn't hurt that girl, Tom."

He nodded slowly. "Okay, Dad," he managed after a long moment, standing from his chair. "I, uh, need to get to work. We may not have been able to save her, but I'm sure as hell not going to let whoever's ultimately responsible for her death get away with it."

Howard's smile was slow, but he reached forward and clasped a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll find the truth, son. You're a better man than I could have ever even hoped for."

Tom snorted a laugh. "Yeah, wait until you've known me for a while. I'm… trying to be better."

"Don't underestimate yourself. I don't. You are capable of truly great things, Tom."

"Maybe. Right now, I just need to find answers. I just want the truth." He moved past him and towards the exit. He and Nez needed to get that laptop.

* * *

Howard Hargrave was a meticulous man. It didn't always appear that way to people on the outside, and often they didn't realize just how many steps he remained ahead of them until the reality of the situation slammed into them, but that reality did eventually come around. No matter how many calculations it took, Howard always came out on top.

He had called ahead and she was waiting in the room, shackled to the table, when he got there. He motioned the guard away and they left as instructed, and he offered a smile that would have charmed most anyone. "You look good in orange."

"What do you want, Howard?" his wife growled, those dark eyes of hers boring into him.

"Right to the point."

"I know you didn't come here just to gloat, and I have better things to do with my time than hear it."

"And what, exactly, are those?" He smirked as she tilted her chin up and squared her shoulders, her gaze turning just a little colder than it had been before. He did his best to ignore the fact that he'd seen their son wear the same expression. "Fine," he said after a long moment of silence from her. "I thought it was time we talked."

"I have nothing to say to you. You set me up."

"That's certainly what you've been telling Tom."

"What makes you say that?"

"He seems to think that I'm responsible for Kat Carlson's death."

He watched the colour drain from Scottie's face. "Kat's dead?"

"Just this morning. She stroked out after multiple complications from her injuries."

"You son of a bitch," Scottie growled, jerking forward, but the cuffs held tight to where they were fastened. "If you hurt him-"

Well that was rich. "Hurt him? I _saved_ him. From you. You would have found him eventually and if you'd been the one to reach out knowing who he was you would have manipulated him just like you did me all those years. You can't touch him now."

"You really are delusional," Scottie breathed.

"I see you clearly for the first time in over thirty years, Scottie. I know exactly who and what you are. I don't want it anywhere near my company and I don't want it anywhere near my son."

" _Our_ son."

"Our son," he scoffed. "Our son, that you declared legally dead the moment that you thought I was gone so that you could make sure the company fell fully to you. Our son, that you would have had your thug gun down in the street if I hadn't stopped you. Our son, that you had beaten to hell because he wouldn't fall into line with what you wanted him to do."

"I did what I had to do, Howard."

"You keep telling yourself whatever you need to to get yourself to sleep at night. I know the truth, Scottie, and if you think I'm going to let you keep filling his head with lies, you never knew me at all."

"What _truth_?"

Howard stared at her a long moment, forcing his expression to remain even and calm while he raged inside. He had loved her once, but now he could barely look at her. "I know why Christopher was taken, Scottie. I told you once that it wasn't your fault, but I was wrong. It was _entirely_ your fault."

He turned, her dark eyes wide and her expression stricken. He imagined it remained that way. He wanted to imagine that it remained that way long after he left. It was the only solace he had from the conversation.

* * *

Notes: I didn't get a lot of writing done today, but I did get to work on my plot points a little further out and this is going to be one wild ride. I also realized that I was a chapter ahead in writing than I thought I was, so you get a chapter this evening! I hope you guys are enjoying reading it as much as I am writing it. I love feedback (as does any writer I've ever met). I'd love to know what you think about it!

Next Time - Tom and Nez break into the NYPD's evidence lock up, Nez reaches out to an old friend for help, and Howard warns Tom about a potential problem for Liz's team.


	4. Sharing Intel

**Chapter Four: Sharing Intel**

"What exactly do you plan to find on her laptop that wasn't on her jump drive?" Nez asked lowly as they moved through the hall of the building that housed the NYPD's evidence for active cases.

"It's not what I'll find. It's what Dumont might find."

"You planning to bring him in?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah. You were right. There've been too many secrets."

She shot him an amused look. "Don't go just trusting anyone."

"Names and badge numbers," the clerk said at the front desk and they both handed over the fake NYPD badges and Nez gave him the false names created through Halcyon that would give them the access that they needed.

They were pointed in the right, general direction of their evidence and started back. There were cameras at the entrance and at the desk. One along the main stretch, from what Nez could see, but not so many that they'd catch a glimpse of their faces. The badges might be burned, but there would be nothing to tie the visit back to Halcyon.

"You know, I'm starting to get the idea that Detective Kosinski might have been holding back on us," Tom deadpanned as he dug through the box of bagged evidence.

Nez reached over, pulling an envelope and prying it open to find cash tucked away. "Pretty sure this wasn't on their list they sent to us." She eyed the cell phone Tom pulled out, gloved fingers moving to open it.

"Will the cloning device for the computer work on the phone too?" he asked.

"Should, yeah."

They connected the devices, Dumont's upgrades to them cutting the time in half and took photos of the cash they found to see what a trace would turn up. There was a variety of evidence, some that they had already received photos of and some that had conveniently been left out. When they had what they needed they packed it all back up, revealing the box and putting it back like nothing had been touched.

"How was the party?" Nez asked, breaking the working silence between them as they started to take the path with the fewest security cameras.

She saw her partner'a expression soften considerably. "Great. Agnes had a blast. We may be finding glitter in random places for months to come, but it was worth it."

"I got her something. Sorry I didn't get it before you left, but I figured you could just take it next time you went home."

Tom's smile was slow, but the amusement was clear in his eyes. "Softy."

"Shut up."

He broke into an all out grin and they rounded the corner, both coming to a full halt. Detective Kosinski stood chatting with the clerk at the front desk, looking at the sign in sheet curiously.

"I'm really starting to not like this guy," Tom muttered.

"He does make our job a hell of a lot harder than it needs to be," Nez agreed and they both pulled back and out of sight as Kosinski turned to glance their direction. "There was a back exit."

"It'll trip the fire alarm and there are cameras out in the alley."

"Better idea then?"

Tom smirked and pulled his phone out from his pocket. Nez saw Kosinski's number on the call screen and he stepped a little further around the corner. Nez waited, holding the bag with their equipment and the cloned information close and listened as the detective's phone started to ring.

"Detective Kosinski? Tom Keen. I was hoping you'd have a second to clarify a couple of pieces of information you sent over for that John Doe case."

Nez slipped around the far end of a row, finding Kosinski with the phone pressed to his ear and an irritated expression etched into his features. "This isn't a good time, Keen," he was saying as Nez moved past, offering a wave to the clerk and making her way out of the evidence room.

She finally slowed her pace when she reached the exit, tugging the cap that was partially shielding her face just a little lower, and she thumbed at her nose in a nervous habit as she waited. If Tom got himself caught, they could get him out, but it would make things that much more difficult. He was good. She knew he was, but in that moment she was starting to wonder just how close they had cut it.

Tom Keen rounded the corner, his pace quick. "What are you waiting on?" he grumbled, nearly blowing past her in the exit.

"You." She fell into step with him. "Did he see you?"

"Not sure, but I'm not going to stand around and find out."

Howard Hargrave may not have raised him, but as Nez followed Tom towards the SUV they had come in, she couldn't help but think about how much her mentor's son reminded her of him.

* * *

"You know, you'd think that the detective buddy of yours didn't trust you or something," Dumont remarked as he looked up from his computer screen.

"Kind of stingy on the evidence he shared," Tom agreed, leaning against the desk.

"You know this is gonna take a while, right?"

"I figured it would." Tom ran a hand through his hair and felt it stand up on end. "Listen, Dumont…"

"If you're about to tell me to keep what I find on the down low, consider it done, Tom-Tom."

Tom blinked hard, tilting his head a little in question.

Dumont didn't look up from the screen as he spoke, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "I made a tough choice going against Scottie. She's… she _was_ someone I respected. That I trusted, and I don't have to tell you how tough it is to find people to trust in this line of work."

The taller man chuckled. "Yeah."

"I don't need to know everything, but Howard, you… Things got personal for her and she made sure there was no one to check that. Been there and done that. It sucks." He looked up, finally meeting Tom's gaze. "I'm gonna be a little slower to trust Howard. That a problem?"

"No, just as long as you and Nez help keep me in check."

"You got it," the technician answered and Tom shook his head. He hoped he'd found the two good ones, because even he wanted to trust them, and it looked like they wanted to trust him in return.

"Oh. Howard said to drop by his office when you got in."

"Thanks." Tom turned, starting for the door, but paused. "Really, Dumont. Thank you."

"You're a Hargrave too. The way I see it, you're just as much my boss as he is. I'll get this to you and Nez as soon as it's done."

"Any idea where Nez ended up? I haven't seen her since we got back."

"She told me she was following up on a source."

Tom nodded, turning for the door.

"How was she?"

He paused. "Who?"

"Scottie. Our systems got an alert when you went to see her."

Well, at least he knew what Howard needed to discuss with him. "She said she was set up."

"What do you think?"

"I think we need more information. Let me know when you get that data transferred."

* * *

It was quieter than she expected, the dinner crowd not quite there yet, which left the little restaurant mostly empty. Nez took a seat at the bar and was left waiting nearly half an hour. If he was playing her or waiting to see if she was playing him, she couldn't be sure, but as the minutes rocked by she was losing confidence in a decision she'd had little in to begin with.

She had about decided that it was time to go when a hand touched the small of her back, his footsteps quite like a cat as he circled around. "Nez. I hope you haven't been waiting long."

There was a strange rush of emotion that she had expected at the sound of the silky voice in her ear. They had been through a lot in a relatively short time. He had trusted her, so he had said, and she knew how difficult that was for people like them. She'd betrayed him in a way and he'd betrayed her. If she were honest, Nez had no idea where that left them. "You know I have, Mattie."

Solomon motioned and she followed him to a table towards the back. It was the only place that would allow both for a wall to his back and a quick escape to the back exit. "I'll admit, I didn't expect to hear from you quite so soon. Miss me already?"

She smirked. "I told you I'd find you."

"I let you find me, my dear," he told her, his voice smooth and a waiter came over and set a glass of scotch down in front of him and a whiskey in front of her. She quirked an eyebrow at him and he grinned like the Cheshire Cat, holding his glass up. "To reunions of the best kinds."

Nez rolled her eyes a little even as she clinked her glass to his, swallowing the liquid in it. She felt it burn all the way down and when she reopened her eyes she found him watching her closely. He looked well enough. He was dressed nicely, his suit tailored with the same flare it always had. He wore the same slightly lazy smirk that lulled many a person into a sense of false complacency before they died. Or gave him exactly what he wanted. She wasn't sure yet how personally he'd taken her change of sides.

He chuckled lowly. "You can relax, Nez. I can hardly hold your loyalties to Howard against you any more than you can hold the loyalties I had to Scottie against me. They both saved outlets lives. Just in different ways."

She tried for a smile. "You spoke to the scientists the day Scottie was arrested, didn't you?"

Solomon straightened in his chair a little, his expression closing off. "I take it this isn't a social call." He wasn't going to give an inch on this unless she gave him a reason to. Funny, because she'd just given Tom the same talk about the give and take of trust in partnerships. Maybe it was time to take her own advice.

Nez loosed a breath, leaning in to speak quietly. "Kat Carlson was murdered."

"Tragic. Why do I care?"

"Because Tom's fixated. She showed up at his door with a piece of evidence and an accusation about a _him_ that we don't have a solid ID for. He thinks Scottie may have been set up."

"And yesterday he though she was the devil. You'll excuse me if I don't hang any hopes on the way golden boy is feeling at the moment."

"Can you blame him? It's his family, Mattie."

"I care more about what you think than him."

She broke eye contact, sitting back. "I don't know," she said after a long moment. "I owe Howard… everything."

"No you don't."

"You know what he did for me. You just said-"

Solomon waved her argument off. "I mean you no _longer_ owe him everything. You paid that debt the moment you took his side and infiltrated Halcyon Aegis' headquarters for him and his son, just like I paid mine by giving Scottie a chance to escape. We risked our lives for the people who saved ours. I call that even. What we do from here on out, that's up to us. So I'll ask you again: what do _you_ think?"

She sat there for a long moment, his words working their way through her mind. "I think I want to know who I can trust."

"Easy answer is no one," he chuckled, "but I can tell you that Scottie didn't seem to have the foggiest what those men were talking about when they told her she'd signed off on everything. I didn't have time to question them then because you and your new pal decided to sic the FBI on us, but… I might be able to track them down. Chat with them."

"What's your price? Nothing comes for free with you."

"Not much," he amended. "A man's got to make a living." He swallowed the rest of his drink, standing and buttoning his jacket. "Let's just say you owe me one. That seems fair, doesn't it?"

"Sounds dangerous," she answered with the smallest of smiles and he winked at her.

"Just the way you like it. I'll be in touch."

She watched him leave, her gaze lingering on the exit long after he had left through it, and it took her a moment to pull herself back around. Dealing with Matias Solomon was like playing with fire, but despite everything, despite the destruction he'd left around her, he was yet to actually burn her - friends, people she cared about, yes, but never her - and part of her knew there was a reason for that.

* * *

A young woman that Tom was fairly certain was named Tanya showed him into the office, telling him that Howard would be back in within five minutes and he was welcome to make himself comfortable. The space was fully put together at last. The giant desk sat in a different place than Scottie's had and the windows were open, letting light fill the room. There were books in the shelves now, ranging from biographies of great leaders to histories to books on strategies and psychology. Where Scottie had covered her walls with photographs of various different men and women of power, Howard had only one photo in the whole office. Set on his desk, facing the chair, Tom found a framed photograph of Howard and himself as a small child. His smile was wide and bright, eyes squinted nearly shut like he was laughing. Howard's own smile in the photo was real, as if they'd shared some secret joke between them that no one else would understand or appreciate. But they did. Between father and son, they understood, and it brightened the room more than any sunlight ever could.

Tom picked the photo up, his fingers tracing the glass. He still didn't remember. That wasn't too strange, he didn't think, or at least that's what he told himself. He'd done the math. He had been taken just before his fourth birthday. Memories at that age were unreliable for most people, and then add in there whatever trauma he'd endured and there was no telling what had stolen those few happy moments of his life from him and left him only with memories of Frank and Eva and Bud. He still didn't know who had taken him. He still didn't know why everything that had happened to him had happened, and as he stood there looking at the photo he felt a rush of… something. He couldn't pinpoint the emotion. It was anger and hurt and a sense of loss all mixed into one painful bundle. If that little boy had just been allowed to live his life, if his parents had never lost him, how different would it have all been?

"I know you have an inkling of what it feels like to lose your child," Howard said, pulling Tom's attention around to the door where he stood. "I remember Constantin Rostov. He was… not a terrible man. He loved his wife with everything he had, and I think he cared for that little girl. I never saw him with her, but I heard."

"You know Kirk?" Tom asked, setting the photo down.

"Not well. I met him. I knew people that knew him, more than anything. If anyone is an example of time and loss twisting people, it sounds like he is." He paused for a moment, watching his son. "I never would have taken that job. The one he offered Scottie."

"You and Reddington know each other, don't you?"

"We've met," Howard answered noncommittally. "I'm glad your story turned out better sooner than mine did."

Tom offered a small, strained smile. He wasn't going to talk about Reddington then, and Tom wasn't overly interested in adding to the emotions the photo had pulled to the surface by rehashing the time when his own daughter had been stolen away. "You wanted to see me?"

Howard nodded, almost as if he'd been so caught up in the moment that he had forgotten. "Yes. You know that we watch a variety of channels?"

"Yeah. I can't imagine the amount of information that moves through here."

"As much or more than some agencies of the United States government," Howard answered, but his lips tugged downward half a moment later. "We received an alert that was filtered through to me. Because of you."

Tom steeled himself. Well, here came the conversation about going to see Scottie. He knew when he went that Howard would know.

"Your wife's team is under federal investigation."

Tom blinked hard. That wasn't what he'd expected. "What?"

"They've subpoenaed one of her team mates. Aram Mojtabai."

"For what?"

Howard moved around his desk and pulled a file from a drawer. He handed the folder over and Tom opened it as he spoke. "It goes without saying that we're not technically supposed to have this. You'll need to keep any warnings very quite."

"Gale," Tom growled, the name that was scattered through the report leaving his tongue more as a curse than an agent's name.

"You know him?"

"The bastard's been harassing Liz. It's…" He closed his eyes, making a quick decision on just how much of Reddington's dirty laundry he was about to air out. "Some evidence was handed over that has him on Reddington's heels and he's on a witch hunt for anyone that he _thinks_ might be connected to him."

"Which puts your wife's Task Force right in the line of fire."

"Yeah," Tom breathed. "I need to call Liz."

"I know people that can pull some strings if you-"

"I'll offer, but Liz likes to handle things on her own." He paused, already halfway out the door and with the phone ringing in his ear. "Thanks, Dad. For the warning."

Howard offered a smile that reached his eyes. "Of course, son."

* * *

Notes: Solomon is both very fun and very hard to write for, in case anyone was wondering.

I would love to know your thoughts on this story so far! Feedback makes me smile :D

Next time - Solomon searches for answers, Nez and Dumont find some troubling news, and Tom receives a phone call that can only add to the chaos in the Keens' lives.


	5. Going Home

**Chapter Five: Going Home**

He hadn't slept in at least twenty-four hours. Dumont was working through both the information from Kat's laptop and the cloned phone they'd brought to him. He had reminded them in true Dumont fashion that genius couldn't be rushed, but he was uncovering information that might prove useful if they could verify it.

On Liz's end, Tom had found out that Aram had been arrested for being in contempt of a grand jury investigation into the Task Force, compliments of Julian Gale and Kate Kaplan. They'd tried to force him to testify against the Task Force and the poor guy had ended up in holding when he refused. They had a plan, but what that was Liz hadn't divulged. The call had been interrupted by Dumont needing his attention.

"This is looking more and more like a set up," Nez murmured as they walked through the doors of where Scottie was being held.

"How'd that lead you were following down pan out?"

"Still waiting," she answered as they pulled their IDs for the guard and slid them over.

"Anyone I know?"

"Sorry, Mr Keen. Your access has been revoked."

Tom's attention pulled immediately to the guard. "What?"

"It's a short list. You're off it."

He felt his temper flare. Howard. He hadn't spoken to him, but he'd sure as hell _done_ something about it.

"What about me?" Nez asked and the guard shrugged.

"You're credentials are still good to go, ma'am."

Tom's phone buzzed and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get control of the anger. "Go," he growled and hit the accept button for the phone. "Keen."

" _Tom_ , _I'm glad I was able to reach you._ "

A chill swept through him at the voice. "Kaplan?" he breathed, immediately going for the door. The last thing he needed was someone eavesdropping on this conversation. "Liz has been looking for you."

" _I found her, but I need to take… steps to ensure that everything is taken care of in the event that things go badly_."

Dark blue eyes swept the street. "How's that?" he asked carefully.

" _Everything I've done has been to protect her. To protect that little girl of yours, but I was so focused on keeping Raymond away from them that I.._ " Her voice caught and she sounded tired. So tired. " _I'm meeting with her shortly and I'm going to show her the truth. If something happens, if Raymond finds a way to kill me before that happens, I need you to make sure she sees it. I need you to make sure she knows_."

"Knows what, Kate?" Tom managed, and for just a moment she was the woman who had risked everything to get them away from Reddington, not the one that was continuing to turn Liz and her team's lives upside down.

" _The truth. Listen closely. If I die, I need you to follow these instructions to the letter_."

Kate Kaplan walked him through it carefully, detailing out the bus station, the locker, and the combination. He would find a suitcase there. He was to take it to Liz. Under no circumstances could Raymond Reddington get his hands on the suitcase or Liz would never find the answers that she needed about her past and who he was to her.

" _You know how hard Raymond will fight to keep his secrets_."

"Can't you just tell her? I mean, I get contingency plans, but-"

" _Will you do this for her, Tom, or won't you?_ "

"It's Liz's past. You know I'm going to help, but-"

" _Someone will be in touch_ ," she said sharply and the call ended, leaving Tom standing on the sidewalk with the phone pressed to his ear and a terrible feeling clawing at him. He'd hoped that the war between Reddington and Kaplan might have different resolution for Liz's sake if no one else's. From the way Kate Kaplan had just spoken, though, she thought she was going to her death.

* * *

The lights flickered on, startling the man chained to the chair in the middle of the room. He looked up, eyes wide and terrified, and he started to struggle against the restraints again.

"Yeah, that's not going to work," Solomon's smooth voice sounded from the corner he'd been crouched in, long fingers working through the tools he'd brought with him. The location wasn't ideal, but he had had to make do. Halcyon's protection had kept him safe from the Cabal while he'd worked for Scottie, but with Scottie Hargrave sitting behind bars and Howard Hargrave at the helm, he counted himself lucky that they weren't actively pursuing him. Especially with Tom Keen as the long-lost son finally come home. He should have put a bullet in the little bastard's head when he had the chance. It would have saved them all a lot of trouble.

"What do you want?" his captive's shaky voice brought him back around and he stood, a chain wrapped around his left hand and a wicked looking knife in his right.

"I want a great many things," Solomon said, circling around from behind and watching the man cringe. "Today, though, I want something you can give me."

"I don't have anything."

"Everyone has something, and you, my good man, have information. Now, you have two options. We can have a civilized conversation. Questions, answers. You know the drill. Or-" he let some of the chain loose, the heavy metal unraveling and clanking - "this could get messy. Your choice."

"I-I don't even know what you want from me," the man stammered.

"You were part of a team that built a Quantum Computing prototype. Who was it for?"

The engineer blinked hard. "I was always told it was for Ms Hargrave and Halcyon Aegis."

"And was it?"

He looked terrified. "Dr Banning would know. He was the one that worked with Ms Hargrave. I'd never seen the woman outside of news interviews until you and she came into the lab a few weeks back."

"Banning?" Solomon clarified.

"He's the lead engineer on the project. Please," he swallowed hard, "that's all I know."

Solomon flashed him a charming smile, letting the chain clatter to the floor and watching the man wince. "I believe you," he said simply, tucking his knife away in an inner coat pocket.

The man barely had time to look relieved, much less register what was happening as Solomon pulled his gun from its holster and left a hole between his eyes. He couldn't risk loose ends where he was.

* * *

She didn't like the way things were adding up. It was no coincidence that Tom had been on the short list of people allowed in to see Scottie and that after one visit he was off. It felt like an intentional roadblock to the investigation, and as far as Nez knew there were only a few people with the power to do what had been done. The FBI could have done it, but they had no reason to. Agent Lamb was open and relatively friendly with them, keeping them apprised of the case against Scottie. If the guards at the jail had felt he was a threat, they might have some pull, but that didn't seem to fall in line either. That left either the Board or Howard himself, and as far as Nez was aware the Board had no idea who Tom was, therefore no reason to be uncomfortable with him speaking with Scottie when the investigation he was on linked to hers. They'd know soon enough. Tom was on his way to Howard's office, and she wondered if he was having to work as hard as she was to not jump to a conclusion without all the facts.

"Tell me you have good news, Dumont," the weapons specialist sighed as she took a heavy seat in an empty chair in his work space.

He glanced over, almost like he hadn't heard her approach at all. "Good and bad. Which do ya want first?"

Nez cringed. "Let's go with bad."

"There's a hell of a lot of information. It's going to take a lot of time to sift through everything without help."

"Our trust pool is getting smaller."

"Yeah? Who's in it right now?"

"You, me, and Tom."

"Cozy," he chuckled, and seemed to know better than to ask why Howard wasn't in there as well. "So, good news is I found a number that I'm ninety-nine percent sure will link us to our John Doe'a employer."

"There's more bad news?"

"Yeah. Burner and long since deactivated, but-" Dumont's fingers flew over the keyboard- "with a little luck and a hell of a lot of skill, I was able to track down a collection of texts. I sorted through them and found a place where they met physically to exchange information. The Network wasn't overhead at the time, but New York has more than a few surveillance cameras. Ever get the feeling you're being watched?"

"All the damn time," Nez answered. "So?"

"So, I got into the systems and the image is rendering. As soon as it's done, we're gonna have a face to connect as Kat's murderer's boss."

"How long?"

Dumont shrugged. "I've got it running top priority, but the file's big." He pulled up a file and Nez could see the image, clearing up pixel by pixel. It looked like two men at a food truck by a park. One, if stature was anything to go off of, was their Trevor Sanders.

"Can you speed it up by focusing in on that guy?" Nez asked, pointing to the blob of a man standing next to their murderer.

He gave a grunt of affirmation and punched in the command. The rest of the rendering froze, all the program's effort put into the parameters that Dumont had set around the man's face.

Nez brushed the back of her hand against her nose and leaned forward, elbows on her knees as if being closer would speed it up. "I reached out to Mattie."

She saw Dumont stiffen. "Why?"

"Because he's good. Because he can fly under radars even we can't."

"Is he?"

"He's checking into things for me. He said he'd reach out."

Dumont swallowed hard. "You told Tom yet?"

"I'm trying to figure out how to," she admitted softly. "I think it was the right move, but Tom's got a lot to deal with right now. I mean, that's a hell of an emotional overload, and he and Solomon don't exactly get along."

Dumont snorted. "Understatement, but I'm not sure you can blame them. Solomon nearly killed his wife when he worked for the Cabal. Threatened to filet her or something like that."

Nez winced. "He does have a flare."

"Then Agnes nearly died when she was born."

"Tom never told me that."

"Yeah. Apparently that and the fact Liz nearly died then too is what earned Solomon a bullet to the gut, then we have everything that happened between them here… Lots of bad blood." He looked up at her. "Don't give him a reason not to trust you."

It sounded like a plea and Nez cringed. This had been hard on Dumont. He could take secrets, but he didn't take well to betrayal. "I'll tell him," she promised, and the beeping in the computer pulled both of their attentions to the video where a man in a cap stepped up to the trick where Trevor Sanders was ordering something. The angle was bad and Nez frowned, willing him to turn. It took a moment, but he did, and she felt her breath catch.

"Dammit," Dumont grumbled.

"Get it off our systems. Now."

"Done and done, sister. Where's Tom? He should know."

Nez's pale gaze remained on the image of Howard Hargrave on Dumont's screen. "In with him now," she murmured.

"You don't think he'll hurt his own kid, do you?"

She closed her eyes, a breath escaping. "I don't know what that family is capable of anymore."

* * *

"Sir, he's in a meeting. You can't go in there."

Tom ignored the secretary as he pushed the office door open, finding Howard sitting with a man that he vaguely recognized as one of the Board members. Both men looked a little started at his sudden appearance, but Howard recovered first. "Tom. You met Albert, didn't you? He's been with Halcyon for… what?"

"ThIrty-three years next month," Albert answered.

Howard flashed a friendly smile. "One of our senior Board members. This is Tom Keen." He paused for just half a beat, as if trying to decide how he wanted introduce his son whose death certificate was still on file with the state of New York "He's leading the investigation into Kat Carlson's murder."

"That's what I'm here about," Tom said tightly, offering only the briefest of nods at the Board member before turning his sharp gaze back on Howard.

"Great. Albert and I will be done here in ten or twenty minutes."

"This really can't wait."

Howard didn't look startled by his tone, necessarily, but his eyes did narrow just a little.

"We were about done anyway," Albert said as he stood, buttoning his suit jacket. "Good chat, Howard. I think Halcyon is heading in the right direction. I'm looking forward to seeing where you take us."

Tom kept his expression even as he watched his father shake the man's hand and remained exactly where he was until Albert had left. He heard Howard loose a breath. "What on earth is so important that you barge in her in the middle of a meeting with a man that has influence to sway the whole damn Board?"

"I told you that I'd stay on to find out who attacked Kat. I put off going home to my wife and child because I thought Kat _deserved_ that. I thought you agreed."

Howard stiffened, his gaze becoming a bit more guarded in light of Tom's tone. "I do."

"Then why the hell are you putting up roadblocks to it?" His temper was boiling to a dangerous level and he hadn't realized just how pissed he really was.

The older man held his gaze for a moment before speaking in much calmer tones. "Tell me what's happened, son. We'll get it fixed."

Tom snorted. He knew a manipulation tactic when he saw one. "You shut off my access to see Scottie."

"Ah," his father breathed and he turned, moving to the office's bar as he spoke. "She can't give you anything of value in the investigation."

"That's not for you to decide."

"Tom," Howard said slowly, offering him a glass of amber liquid with a couple of ice cubes clinking together, "I know you want to trust her, but Scottie is where she is because of what she's done. She's lied and she's manipulated and she'll continue to do it if you give her an outlet."

A soft buzzing sound came from his pocket and he risked a look, seeing Liz's face lighting up the screen. He hit decline. He hated not taking her calls when they came, but this needed to be dealt with. "I want to trust you, Howard, but every turn I'm taking you keep giving me reasons not to."

His father winced at the tone and leaned against the bar. "That's not my intention."

"Then fix it. Don't get in the way of the avenues I need to take to get to the bottom of this. I'm good at what I do. You've seen that. If I think that interviewing Scottie is a viable avenue to take, then I'm going to take it." He set the still-full glass Howard had given him on the counter, the screen lighting up on his phone from a text. _Call me when you get a chance_. He wasn't sure what had happened, but Liz rarely texted right after calling. Something was wrong. "I have to call Liz back."

He turned, but Howard's voice made him pause. "I'll get your name back in the approved list of visitors, but Tom? Please, be careful, son. You don't know her like I do."

Tom didn't answer, but put the ringing phone to his ear as he passed by Tanya's desk. "Hey, babe. Everything okay?"

There was a short pause before she answered, her voice worn and tired. " _Kate's dead_."

Tom pulled in a steadying breath. "I'm on my way."

" _You don't have to_ -"

"I have to tie up some loose ends, but I'll swing by and pick up Wing Yee's on the way in for dinner. How does that sound?"

" _Perfect_ ," she breathed on the other end, sounding relieved.

"See you in a few hours. I love you." He ended the call and risked a glance back. This investigation, Howard, everything would need to wait, at least for the moment. Liz needed him and he'd made her wait long enough. He was going home.

* * *

Notes: I was so excited when I finished writing this chapter because the first four were a constant balancing act of trying to make sure that I had the timelines straight. I think there was likely some overlap with where Redemption ended and the main show picked back up after its Spring Hiatus. I guess we'll see next season when it comes back and we find out what Tom was doing for multiple episodes that overlapped in filming. For the sake of this story, though, there was some timeline overlap and we are now finally caught up :D

There should also be quite a bit more Keen2 and Team Keen moving forward, which makes this writer's heart very happy.

Next time - Tom and Liz face what the bones could mean for Liz's revelation about Reddington and Nez takes a trip to DC.


	6. All or Nothing

**Chapter Six: All or Nothing**

The apartment was too quiet and it gave her too much time to think. Those thoughts seemed to swirl together, conflicted and battling each other for a prime seat to influence how she was feeling, and the end result was a sort of numbness that took over at the end of the day. Agnes was down for the night and Tom was somewhere in transit between New York and D.C. and Liz felt like her world was on the verge of crashing down around her.

Kate Kaplan. She had thought that she remembered the day she had met her. When she had received word that _Mr_ Kaplan was on the way, an older woman in a skirt suit who determinedly dug a bullet out of a corpse to help hide Liz's involvement in it was not who she had expected. She had liked her well enough, as well as she had liked any of Reddington's quirky little army of talented misfits he kept around him, and she hadn't stood out amongst them until she became the only one to offer a solution to Liz and Tom to try to keep Agnes safe from everything that was happening around them. At the time Liz hadn't thought any more of it than Kate was acting out of kindness and perhaps trying to protect them where Reddington could not. She had never dreamt that she had known Kaplan since she was a girl.

A loud, shrill whistle drew her attention and Liz was on her feet and across the living room to the kitchen in just a few steps, diving for it before it woke Agnes up. She'd been so lost in thought that she'd missed the telltale signs that the kettle was boiling.

As she poured the steaming water into a mug, the tea bag already there, she worked hard to pull buried memories forward, almost as if she could will them out from the darkest corners of her mind if she thought hard enough. If she remembered or just desperately wanted to, Kate taking her hand had felt familiar and for just a moment she thought she could see a younger face smiling behind rectangle glasses and larger hands holding onto her own.

 _You are safe. You are loved. You are wise._

A tear escaped down her cheek and she wiped it away roughly. She had thought that Kate's truth was that Reddington was her father, but she was still at a loss as to how killing herself could have brought that information to the forefront. It seemed so pointless.

Liz startled as she heard the sound of keys in the front door and the soft click of the bolt sliding to allow her husband entry into their home.

"Hey, sorry I'm so late, but I do come with food," he offered as he rounded the corner. "How are you holding up?"

She sniffed, watching him put the take out down on the kitchen table and he held an arm out in a silent offer that she took immediately. She felt him pull her close, strong arms wrapping fully around her and she relaxed into him, her own arms going around his middle and holding tight.

They stood there like that for a long minute, his long fingers working through her hair and she pulled in deep breath. "Thank you. I know the timing was bad."

"Don't worry about that," he said softly as he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "What do you need?"

"Food," she said after a breath. "I definitely need food. I can't actually tell you the last time I ate a full meal."

"I hate hearing that," he chuckled, finally releasing her if only to give her a chance to go for the Chinese food.

"Yeah, name your last good meal," she snarked, shooting him a daring look and to he gave her an awkward sort of grin that said he'd been called out. "Or the last decent night's sleep."

"Okay okay," her husband laughed and Liz shook her head.

"We're a pair."

"Yes we are." He stole a kiss before moving to grab plates and napkins. "You want to talk about it or do you want to be distracted?"

"I _need_ to talk about it I think. I just don't even know where to start."

"Just go and we'll see if anything makes sense."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Okay. You asked for it. First off, I swear, if you tell me I told you so…"

Tom stopped halfway through shoveling noodles onto his plate, tilting his head in question. "About what?"

"Cooper got a blood sample from Reddington. He did a DNA test." She watched a slow smirk tilt her husband's lips and she swatted at him.

He laughed as he nearly stumbled back and over a chair, trying to both catch his balance and hold his hands up defensively. "I didn't say anything!"

"Uh-huh. It came back. You were right."

His smirk grew just a little and he took a seat, obviously trying to bring it back under control. "Nothing else made sense. How're you feeling about it?"

"I don't know yet. Angry. Relieved. Terrified… It's just a jumble."

"You don't have to figure it out right now."

She shot him a knowing look. He was one to talk. "How are you doing with everything?"

Tom's amusement immediately faded and he picked up a mouthful worth of noodles in his chopsticks. "Howard locked me out of speaking with Scottie."

"Why?"

"I don't know… he says he's worried about me. I think he's hiding something. Nez needed to talk to me about something, but she wouldn't do it over the phone. By the time I got ahold of her I was already in DC. She may end up hopping a flight. It was something she wouldn't say over the phone, so she doesn't want anyone at Halcyon overhearing it."

Liz shook her head, the idea of her boss potentially overhearing every conversation she had unnerving. "Are you staying a few days then? If she can't just talk to you when you get back?"

"Yeah, I think so. You've been supporting me in this, Liz, but it's my turn to support you."

She reached forward and her fingers touched his hand. He turned it over and their palms pressed together and she could tell he was working through something. "Babe, I need to tell you something."

"You always worry me when you start out that way, you know."

"I know, and I'm sorry, but…" He swallowed hard and she could see the internal struggle play out in the way his features tightened. In that moment she remembered the conversation that they had had, sitting in their half put together living room and surrounded by boxes, and he had promised her that even when it was hard, he would share his doubts with her. She squeezed his hand and his eyes drifted open again. "Mr Kaplan called me this morning."

He stopped there, as if gathering his thoughts of giving Liz a chance to process the first piece of information. She found herself staring blankly at him. Kate hadn't said anything about Tom. From what Tom had told her about their time together searching for Agnes she probably wasn't overly fond of him. "Why?"

He blinked, and dark blue eyes flickered up to meet her own lighter shade. "She left you something and wanted me to pick it up if something happened to her."

"Did you?"

"Yeah."

Liz made a small, frustrated sound. "And?"

Tom looked very uncomfortable, like he was expecting to take a wrong step at any moment and she forced her expression to relax, offering him another encouraging squeeze.

"There was a suitcase in a locker at a bus stop. She told me that if I heard she'd been killed that I needed to pick it up and get it to you. She seemed to think Reddington wouldn't want you to see it, but she said it'd help lead you to the truth."

"Okay, that makes more sense why she went to you for it." Her husband gave her a questioning blink and she tried for a smile. "You've never been afraid to cross Reddington for me."

He managed a short laugh. "I wouldn't go that far. I'm well aware how dangerous he is when crossed. More so right now with everything up in the air. He'll be desperate for control."

"I won't let him hurt you," Liz murmured.

"I'm not worried about me." He closed his eyes, the stress playing out on his features. "I made a promise to you and to myself to always be honest with you, Liz. Part of that is not making decisions for you. I know you've been looking for answers, and it sounds like you found some. If you're comfortable with that, if you don't want to dig into this, I'll make sure it goes away. I did get the suitcase though."

She nodded, processing the choice he was trying to give to her. He'd done his share of manipulating her over the years, but she knew just how much it meant that he tried not to these days. He trusted her. He saw her as an equal, and while she knew he'd do everything in his power to protect her, he respected her and wasn't taking that decision away from her, even if it added to the trouble already at their doorstep. If she didn't want answers that could upend this new step in hers and Reddington's relationship, he wasn't forcing it on her.

"I just didn't want to keep it from you," he said awkwardly.

"Thank you. Really, Tom." She closed her eyes for a moment and toyed with the idea for a shorter time than she expected to. When she reopened them, she was certain of the answer. "What was in the suitcase?"

He looked a little relieved. "Remains. Human. They looked pretty old, but the bones were in pretty good shape."

Great. Another body. Just what they needed. "We managed to sideline the grand jury investigation into the Task Force, but that Julian Gale will still be on the warpath. Last thing we need is to have any evidence that links us to Reddington, and I don't want you getting caught in the crossfire."

"It's fine. I have it stored at a DC Halcyon facility. We have labs here and I can start tomorrow checking into the best people to run the tests." He paused, catching himself. "If that's what you want."

"Yeah. We need to know what we're up against. Can you trust Halcyon on this?"

"To keep it from the FBI? Secrets are kind of what Halcyon does best," Tom said with a smirk and she nodded.

"And Reddington. You're right about how he reacts. If this is something he doesn't want out there, he'll do whatever he has to to stop us from finding out who the bones belong to." She grimaced, suddenly much less interested in her food than she had been. "I just wish he'd trust me with the truth."

Tom loosed a sigh, motioning to her plate and she waved it off. He moved to grab a couple of containers from the cabinet and started to shovel food into them, his gaze fixed on what he was doing as he spoke. "It's… tough to trust in the business he's in, even if you care about the person. You have to rely on the fact that they may or may not react in the same way you do to something and that can put a hole in a plan and get people into a lot of trouble. It's just… part of the world he functions in."

"You made that choice."

He made a small sound of acknowledgement. "I made a lot of mistakes getting to that point." He turned and put their leftovers in the fridge. "It's also mutual with us. I don't worry about you holding stuff back anymore and I hope you know I don't either."

"Sometimes I wish you would," she teased and watched him smile.

"All or nothing," he said with a shrug.

She pulled in a deep breath. It seemed like before one catastrophe was wrapped up another popped up. Between the two of them they had more than enough to fight externally. As much as his decision to be completely honest with her sometimes left her with more information than she really needed to know, there was something comforting in the fact that in all the people she questioned in her life, her husband didn't have to be one of them.

* * *

She had caught one of the first flights out of New York that morning, landing at seven and at Tom's address by eight. She had wrestled with the decision all night and from take off till they landed. The cab ride had left her with even more time, and as she stood outside the fourth floor apartment Nez had come to the conclusion that there was no easy way to approach this. She had just pulled in a deep breath, ready to knock, when the lock clicked from the other side and a brunette woman nearly ran into her as she exited the apartment.

Nez Rowan had only seen photos of Elizabeth Keen until that point, and found herself staring at her partner's wife as a pair of blue eyes blinked owlishly at her, surprised to find someone outside of her home.

The Halcyon operative cleared her throat. "Hi. I'm Nez Rowan. I'm-"

"You work with Tom," the other woman acknowledged. "He'd mentioned you might come into town. Did he know you were coming in this morning?"

"No, but is he here?" she asked, straightening her back a little.

"Babe, Nez is here," Liz Keen called back into the apartment. "Listen, I'm on my way out to work, but-"

"Hey. That was fast," Tom said, appearing behind his wife. He was still dressed in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, hair standing on end and he had a cup of coffee in his hand.

"It's important," Nez pressed.

"Call me if you need me," Liz offered. "Carly's new cell number is on the fridge. She said she can come over to watch Agnes whenever you need her to today."

"Might he sooner than later," Tom acknowledged and motioned for Nez to follow him in so that his wife could get to work.

There was something strange about walking into Tom Keen's home. She had been to the extended stay hotel that he'd spent the last couple of months in, but it was just a temporary situation with very little of _him_ there, and as she moved into the apartment that he shared with his wife and daughter, she realized just how little she actually knew about him. Despite the pictures he shared and the long hours on the job together, there was likely a lot that he simply didn't share, and that left room for questions. He'd been undercover for Howard before. How was she supposed to know for sure that he wasn't now?

"So what's so important that you couldn't say it over the phone?" he asked as she followed him deeper into the apartment and around into the kitchen where a sleepy looking Agnes Keen sat in her high chair playing idly with cheerios.

"The infamous Agnes?" Nez asked instead and the little girl turned to look at her curiously.

"Yeah," Tom answered, breaking out into the proud smile that always accompanied the mention of his daughter. "Agnes, you wanna say hi to Nez?"

She looked at him like he was crazy. Eight AM was apparently too early for the one year old.

Tom shook his head, heading for the fridge and beginning to dig, pulling out what looked like pancake mix. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No?" Nez managed, having a hard time picturing the man she'd run ops with cooking breakfast.

"Liz hates them, but Agnes loves them, so they come after Mommy leaves for work, right baby girl?"

That pulled a smile from the chubby cheeked little girl and she giggled, pounding her palms against the food tray excitedly and babbling in response. Apparently she knew exactly what was coming.

"Did Dumont find something?" Tom prompted, pouring the batter onto the large skillet in several places. Apparently she was getting a pancake too. "Nez?"

"Sorry. I think I slipped into a parallel dimension or something," she managed. "You got an apron and everything?"

"So funny," he grumbled.

She took a breath. She'd promised to trust him if he trusted her. It was time to do that even if it was hard. "Listen, there's no easy way to say this." She watched him flip the smallest pancake expertly and pressed her lips together. "Dumont has been following a lead from Trevor Sanders' phone that led to a meet he had with his employer. The satellites weren't in range for it, but he was able to hack footage from security feeds in the area."

"We've got a positive ID on his employer?" Tom asked, flipping the other two pancakes and shoveling the small one off on a plate to cool. "That's great. Who is it?"

"Howard."

She watched her partner freeze momentarily, his grip tightening around the spatula and after a long moment Agnes started to fuss, apparently picking up on her father's tension. Nez cleared her throat and he jolted out of it, flipping the pancakes before they burned. "Dumont wiped the computers?"

"I brought jump drives with copies. How do you want to handle this?"

Tom shuffled the food off onto the plates and passed one over to Nez. She watched him, his expression unreadable, as he started to cut Agnes' pancake up into bite sized pieces for her. He finished in silence, moved to the fridge, and put butter and syrup on the table, taking a heavy seat. Nez cautiously mirrored the action.

"Some… stuff has happened recently and Liz needs me here. Honestly, I'm good, but I don't know if I could look Howard in the eyes right now."

"Yeah," Nez acknowledged quietly. She new the feeling.

Her partner looked up, catching her gaze. "That doesn't mean he's going to get away with using us and killing Kat."

"So what are we going to do."

Tom closed his eyes and pulled in a deep breath. "I'm going to reach out and let him know I'm staying in DC to help Liz. It should buy some time away without drawing attention. I can't go into a ton of detail because it's not my secret to tell, but I'm going to need to find a reliable Halcyon lab to have some forensic work done. It'll take time and I can tell him that you and Dumont are helping me with it. It'll buy us time and take us off his immediate radar if he thinks we're letting Kat's case sit for a while."

"Makes sense," Nez murmured. "Sanders is dead, Kat's dead. If we weren't looking at Howard we wouldn't be on a time crunch."

He nodded. "Keep your search going with as much security on it as Dumont can handle without making it look like that's what he's doing."

"Martinez."

Tom straightened, confusion flashing across his features. "Who?"

"She's a forensics expert that works for Halcyon. Trustworthy as far as I've seen. I mean, she won't keep the information from Howard, but if anyone else comes sniffing around, she won't budge on it."

"And who do you think is going to come sniffing around?" Tom asked, an amused sort of look in his eye. It was better than the cold calculation that had been there just a moment before.

Nez smirked. "Your wife's a fed in a specialized task force with high level clearance. If you're running forensics on something that you can't give me the full story on, it means that you guys are either hiding it from the feds or Reddington or both." She shoved a forkful of pancake into her mouth, feeling a bit more at ease than when she walked in. "These are really good, Keen. I think you missed your calling."

"Try telling my wife that. She _hates_ them."

Nez tilted her head, thinking there must be more to that story than he'd said. She shook her head and watched him. "You okay?"

"I don't know," he admitted softly.

She didn't envy him. She was having a hard enough time with the emotional runaround, and Howard was her mentor, not her father. She had planned to tell Tom about Solomon while she was there, but the exhausted look on his face stopped her. "Listen," she said slowly, "I'll reach out to Martinez. I know her. Worked with her before. I'll get everything set up. You enjoy a day or two with your family."

He looked a little startled by the offer, glancing over briefly to Agnes who had managed to make a mess out of her breakfast. "Thanks, Nez."

She offered him a lopsided smile. "I've got your back, Keen."

"And I've got yours."

"Good to hear." She stood. "I'll let you know when it's set up. Can I tell her what she's looking into?"

"Bones. Maybe about thirty years old?"

"Never a dull moment around you people, is there?"

"Wish there were," he chuckled.

* * *

Notes: I used to try to keep a schedule for updates, but that kind of went out the window with the Hargrave Drabbles and how sporadically those went up for a while, and now they're pretty much daily. I plan to put a chapter of Demons in the Dark up as as long as I have at least 3 chapters written ahead. I finished writing chapter nine last night and started in on chapter ten today, so I thought I'd go ahead and put this chapter up. Hope you have a great weekend everyone and a fun Father's Day. I may try to write a Tom and Agnes Father's Day one shot... not sure yet.

Next Time - The Keens, Reddington and Dembe, and most of the Task Force attend a funeral.


	7. Dearly Departed

**Chapter Seven: Dearly Departed**

It was more of a ceremony than a funeral, and even that was dangerous with the way things stood. The formal inquiry may have been upended when Ressler had sacrificed the evidence that he and Reddington had uncovered about Reven Wright's murder and Laurel Hitchin had shut it down with a wave of her hand, the power of the White House and the Cabal combined. Though after everything Liz wasn't sure where one started and the other ended at times sometimes.

Just because the formal inquiry had been disbanded, just because Aram had been released and cleared, and just because - at least for the moment - the Task Force stood as free men and women to continue the work that they'd put their very souls into for the last four, bordering on five, years didn't mean that Julian Gale was backing down. His presence still lingered, looming like a shadow with his eighty-six bodies and the determination of a wolf that had latched onto its prey. Cynthia Panabaker had dropped by the Post Office to tell Cooper that she wasn't sure how they'd managed it - and that she didn't want to know - but that they needed to watch their steps. They did good work, but this wasn't over, and she couldn't - or wouldn't - protect them. Liz was more inclined to think the latter was more accurate.

If Reddington had had an actual funeral for Baz, she wasn't certain. She imagined that there had been something private. Very private, as most of his closer allies were either also dead, in jail, or just gone. He'd mentioned that Brimley had bowed out after nearly two decades of working with him, and she knew that Kate had done a number on his organization. Illiquid had been the term he'd used, but broke seemed more applicable, especially when she saw him that morning.

Liz held onto Tom's arm, mentally cursing the heels in the soft grass as they sank down and threatened to throw her off balance. She caught sight of the man she'd only recently confirmed was her father. He stood at the top of the hill under a tree, his hat in his hands, and Dembe stood with him.

"Agent Keen. Tom," a voice called in a hushed sort of tone and she turned, spotting Aram waving awkwardly, Samar walking with him.

"Hey. I didn't know you were going to make it. Either of you," Liz said, quickly adding, "but it's good to see you."

"I didn't know him well, but Baz seemed like a good man," Samar offered. Her dark eyes flickered to Tom. "I see you made it home."

"I did. To stay."

"Is that good or bad?"

His thin lips pressed together. "It's complicated."

"Did you meet Baz, Aram?" Liz asked, changing the subject as quickly as she could off of her husband's stressful family situation. They had enough on their shoulders that morning without Howard, Scottie, and Halcyon being brought into the conversation.

"I did," Aram answered, "when you were, uh, well when we were trying to clear your name. He was helping Mr Reddington and Mr…. Kaplan." He half swallowed Kate Kaplan's name, his expression a bit startled as if he hadn't caught himself until after he'd already mentioned her. He swallowed hard. "When we were setting everything up to help clear your name," he amended quickly.

A short, awkward silence fell over the group of four people and after a moment Samar cleared her throat. "We shouldn't keep Reddington waiting."

Aram mumbled something under his breath, stumbling over the words, and if Liz didn't know better she would have thought he offered his arm to Samar for the hill. She turned an amused look on him, as if there was some secret between them that Liz and Tom were not privy to, and said that she was fine to make it up without help. She'd actually worn heels that didn't dig deep into the grass as she walked, unlike Liz's, and the shorter woman was tempted to just tug hers off and scale the small hill barefooted.

"So how long has that been going on?" Tom asked very quietly as Samar and Aram inched just a little bit ahead.

"What?"

"Those two? I thought Aram was dating what's her name that worked for the Thrushes."

Liz blinked owlishly at him. "I think that ended when she gave his name up to the investigation, but… I don't think…" She watched her two friends and the way that they were speaking quietly to each other as they walked. It was subtle. Very subtle, but there was a difference. It was one that had crept up quietly and she hoped that that was the reason Tom had picked up on it when she hadn't. Being away for a while and coming back in reset perspective in many cases. If that wasn't it, then she was losing her edge, and that wouldn't do her any good at all.

"You work with them," he murmured, as if reading her mind. "You've always had some trouble with people you're close to."

She elbowed him a little harder than she meant to, pulling a soft _oomf_ from him and she gave him a look that she thought was probably somewhere halfway between an apology and a teasing smile at him for it. He wasn't wrong, but that didn't mean she had to agree outright with it.

Donald Ressler was approaching from the opposite side, sullen and grim looking even for the situation they found themselves in. Liz was a little surprised to see him at all. He'd kept to himself the last several days, and she assumed that he'd been taking the time to come to terms with the new line he'd crossed to protect the Task Force. She knew it'd been a big step for him, but she also knew how hard it had been. She had done her best not to push, letting him know that if he needed to talk, she was there, but he'd waved it off every time. She had thought that he would have stayed home for this, but despite his best efforts she thought that there was a respect that Ressler had developed for Reddington over the years that the Task Force had worked with him and that that was what drew him there that morning. He still loathed his methods, but Ressler was under no disillusionment that they would have been able to save many people as they had if they hadn't had Reddington's help.

She offered him a tight smile and he nodded in return, not even managing that much.

Liz pulled in a deep breath, satisfied when Aram moved immediately to their fair haired friend and dragged him into the conversation. She finally released her husband's arm. "Give me a minute?"

"Take your time," he answered softly and started over towards their daughter's godparents.

She pulled in a deep breath, calming herself. She'd been fluctuating wildly under all the different emotions that came with what had happened. Baz's death, Kate's death, finding out that Red was her father, and finding out that he was keeping yet another secret from her that Kate had left with her husband. It was a mess. Her life was constantly a mess.

Today, though, she wanted to put it all aside. Aram had been right. Baz was a good man and he deserved the respect of their gathering. She would do the best she could to withhold judgement on Reddington until she knew the whole story. Maybe it wasn't as bad as her imagination had come up with.

"Elizabeth," he greeted, glancing over as she approached.

"Hey. We're not late, are we?"

"No. Dembe and I just arrived a little early. I wanted some time." He closed his eyes and Liz saw his fingers tighten around the brim of his hat in his hands. "I knew Baz many years. We'd seen a lot together."

Liz felt her chest tighten at his expression and she reached out, her finger tips touching the fabric of his jacket. "I'm so sorry, Reddington. A death is difficult enough, but the way it happened… I'm sorry."

"Yes," he murmured. He shook his head, almost as if he were shaking off the emotions that were threatening to bubble out into view of everyone there. "I'm glad you made it. Baz would have wanted you here."

Liz nodded, not trusting her own voice. What was there to say? She'd been there, willingly in the car with Kate Kaplan when Baz and Reddington's people had run them off the road thinking that they were saving her. It wasn't her fault. She'd chosen to get out, to _choose Red_ as Kate had put it, and she hadn't thought for an instant that the older woman would have intentionally killed Baz. Yes, she'd hurt many people that Reddington cared about, but she had known Baz. Injuring him, making sure he ended up in prison, those things Liz could have seen happening with the person Kate Kaplan had become, but killing him outright? She hadn't predicted that. She also hadn't predicted that the woman would have thrown herself over the side of the bridge to her death, so maybe Tom was right. When things were very, very close to home, her own readings weren't always as accurate as she would have liked to believe.

She cleared her throat. "I don't think Cooper is going to make it, so unless you're waiting on others we should probably get started."

"Afraid Agent Gale is going to pop out from behind the tree?" Reddington asked, obviously trying for a tease and Liz gave him her best attempt at a smile.

"With our luck lately, he might just do it."

Reddington nodded, and cleared his throat, calling everyone's attention. He spoke in the way that only Raymond Reddington spoke, weaving stories so vivid that Liz could see them dancing across her imagination. A time when they were caught under heavy fire in a deal gone wrong and a celebration after a deal gone better than expected. He spoke of their years together, of Baz then and the Baz that they had known. He was a valued member of his team, a former Special Forces member, and a dedicated friend. Liz's eyes closed as she listened, leaning into Tom's shoulder and she felt him shift to put an arm around her, supporting her where she stood next to him. Every detailed played out from Reddington's voice to her mind, and she saw that little smirk that Baz gave so clearly.

Dembe spoke next, his voice soft and slow as he remembered a man that he had, Liz realized in that moment, been exceptionally close to. There had been a time when he had gone back to the South Sudan to help his countrymen fight for freedom and they'd come across more trouble than they'd expected. Dembe, to that day, didn't know how Baz had heard about it, but he'd reached out to him to offer his support in that moment. It hadn't been his fight, it hadn't been his people, but Dembe had been his friend and in so many ways his family, and what had been important to the younger man was important to Baz.

Liz swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes closed and she felt a tear escape. "I, uh… I had about decided that I wasn't going to say anything, but…." She pulled in a deep breath, steadying herself, and opened her eyes again, trying to pull together what she felt about the man that had made Dembe look chatty. The thought made her smile, despite the situation, and she shook her head. "Baz was our protector. He was always there just when I needed him, even if I didn't think I did." A laugh escaped her - "I just about set the kitchen on fire one time trying to cook something. Baz was across the hall, watching for whatever terrible thing would drop on our heads next, and he came flying into the apartment with his gun drawn and ready to take on whatever danger there was. I yelled at him. I was so… upset at being watched and being shadowed every step that I took - at having been shadowed for so long by so many people - that I took it all out on him in that moment, yelling at him to get out, but Baz never held it against me. He was silent and he was steady, ready to face down anything. I've seen a lot of brave men and women - a lot of them standing right here - and Baz… I didn't think we'd lose him so soon."

She sniffed hard and Tom wrapped her up, pulling her close. She let him, and by the end of it she gave up trying not to cry. Baz was more than Reddington's man, more than their protector. He was her friend, and that day, for just a moment, she let herself mourn him without all the complications that came with it.

* * *

After everyone had said their piece Tom had stepped aside to give Liz a moment alone to say her private goodbyes. The intent had been to step over with the rest of the crowd, but he found himself a few yards further than that at a lonely and fresh grave under a tree. The stone at the head was just as new as Baz's and the lettering on it was unexpected.

"You buried Mr Kaplan here," he acknowledged, hearing the quiet steps approaching from behind. He didn't need to turn to see who they belonged to.

Reddington stepped up to stand next to him and he looked tired. More than, he thought as he studied the older man from the corner of his eye, and from what Liz had said about everything Kaplan had done to his organization there was no question as to why. People that functioned in the world that Reddington did - the world Tom never seemed to be able to quite leave - needed to be in control to stay on top. Let that control slip and the sharks came in to finish you off. Tom knew how it worked. He'd lived it more years than he hadn't, and if Reddington's organization was in as many pieces as Liz seemed to think it was then the Concierge of Crime was in a lot of trouble.

Reddington nodded. "Yes. Despite everything that happened at the end Kate was… a friend."

Tom resisted the urge to snort at the statement. Friend. The man had put a bullet through her head when he disagreed with the direction she'd taken to try to help Liz. If he hadn't nearly been on the receiving end of a bullet from a man that he'd given all of his loyalty to for one perceived slight, he might have understood where Reddington was coming from a little better.

"Problem, Tom?"

He closed his eyes and re-opened them, the action somewhere between a blink and not. He turned to watch Reddington, his expression even and the older man gave a mirthless chuckle as he shook his head.

"Liz told me about the DNA test," Tom said, his voice sharper than it might have been if he hadn't been trying to bring it under control.

Reddington tilted his head ever so slightly. "Of course she did."

"I had a pretty good idea," the younger man said. He forced himself to meet Reddington's gaze. "Listen, I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but I do think we both love Liz and want her to be happy and safe."

"That's all I've ever wanted."

"As much as Liz has been shoved into this world, as much as it's part of who she is, she wasn't raised deep in it. She… needs honestly from the people closest to her. Even if it doesn't seem like anything changed between the two of you, she knows now, and if you're still hiding anything from her-"

"Where is this coming from, Tom?"

He rolled his eyes a little. "I just know how these things go, and I know how Liz is. You're going to think that you can get away with keeping things from her because you always have, and maybe you could have done that when she didn't know for sure you were her father, but it's out now, and she _deserves_ honesty from you."

"Amusing coming from you."

"I learned the hard way. I had to watch her walk away before I figured it out. I love her. I don't want to see her have to go through that with you if she doesn't have to, but she will. You screw around with her and she will." He was bordering dangerously close, he knew, but there were enough secrets in their world that he could have been talking about anything. There was a good chance that he was referring to more than the bones. Reddington had plenty of secrets.

There must have been something in his tone though. Slowly Reddington's eyes widened and then his gaze darkened just a little. "Kate reached out to you."

"I haven't talked to her since the day you delivered me to that safehouse after Agnes had been taken and drove off with her."

He hadn't expected Reddington to reach out, his hand grasping his shoulder. It wasn't quite threatening, but the older man held him firm, as if he thought he might try to squirm away. "It makes sense. She needed someone that wasn't afraid to go against me. Someone who would sympathize with her."

"What do you-"

"The suitcase."

"I don't know what-"

He tried to shift away, but the grip on him only tightened and Reddington's voice was low and dangerous. "Don't you dare lie to me, Tom. This isn't a game. You have no idea what you've stepped into. What have you done with the suitcase that Kate gave you?"

Tom closed his eyes briefly, pulling in a breath, and when he re-opened them he leveled a dangerous glare in return. "You want to avoid losing her over whatever secrets you have, don't pin the blame on me. Tell her before it's too late." He pulled away, finally breaking Reddington's grasp, and he turned to stalk down the hill.

* * *

He'd been quiet after his talk with Reddington, refusing to say anything about it while they were at the gravesite. Liz hadn't pushed him on it, but as she closed the door behind Carly back at their apartment, Agnes down for her nap and her husband brooding irritably, Liz cleared her throat. "You going to tell me what happened?"

"Your dad's an ass."

Despite the heaviness of everything that had happened that day, Liz snorted a laugh. "That's not news," she murmured and took a seat next to him on the couch. She scooted a little closer when he didn't react, and while he didn't move away, he didn't welcome her as he usually did. Instead he was shut off, upset, and internalizing everything. She nudged him gently. "Talk to me?"

He loosed a breath, slouching back and letting his head fall against the back of the couch. "He knows I have the suitcase."

Liz blinked. "How?"

"He put it together. Maybe I'm losing my touch."

"Reddington is one of the best at reading people, and he knows you pretty well now. He can't get to it, right?"

"No."

"That's good then." She reached over, taking his hand and she laced her fingers through his. Slowly his long fingers curled around, holding onto her. "What brought it up?"

He winced, looking a little guilty. "I was… We were talking about how you wished that he would be honest the other day and I…. I thought maybe having learned the lesson the hard way I might be able to talk to him about it.."

Liz pursed her lips together, holding back her immediate response. It was sweet, she knew, even if it hadn't panned out the way he had meant for it to. "Honey, he's not you."

"You said-"

"Oh babe. I didn't mean for you to go try to do that."

He looked a little sheepish at that. "I know."

She hated when he looked like a kicked puppy, like one wrong step would land him shut out and at odds with her. He'd been trying to help her and it'd blown up spectacularly in his face. She wrapped her arm around his back and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "I love you," she reminded him. "And Kaplan made the right choice."

"What do you mean?"

"Even when it's… misplaced, you always try to watch out for me. She knew that you wouldn't be afraid to do something that would piss Reddington off."

Tom chuckled softly and she tightened her grip on him, one arm wrapped around and the other hand holding his. They sat there in silence. None of this was easy and the path was anything but clear, but they were in it together, and even if no one else did, they had each other's backs.

* * *

Notes: Sometimes chapters stay relatively intact with just a few minor adjustments when I go back through them for edits and sometimes they're like this one... things are moved, scrapped, and reworked like crazy.

I'm still really sad that Bokenkamp said that Baz was dead. I really do hope that they give him some sort of send off next season, because that man was impossible to kill and then suddenly he's dead? He was the one I _wasn't_ worried about. Sad times. I may not be over this death for a while...

Next time - Nez and Solomon put a plan into action, Whitehall brings concerns to Howard, and the Keens get an unexpected visitor at their home late at night.


	8. Guilty Secrets

**Chapter Eight: Guilty Secrets**

Nez Rowan had seen many things over the course of her life, and while it had left her with a healthy level of distrust in many people, she had never been able to shake wanting to trust those closest to her.

She met Zeke a month into life as a civilian, an injury sidelining her and she'd taken the medical discharge. The painkillers were her entry in, and at first she took them for the physical pain. They quickly doubled for the emotional pain, but they didn't last forever. She'd told Tom once that the doctors never found the right treatments when she went to them, and that's why she'd tried everything else just in case. Everything had been a little bit of an exaggeration, but when she found herself awake for days on end, nightmares chasing even the thoughts of sleep away and the VA shrinks having no luck to help her, the meds Zeke offered felt like a saving grace.

She wasn't the first service member he'd met that had similar demons to the ones that Nez fought. Somehow he'd managed to become her friend as well as her supplier, listening to the stories and letting her talk through thoughts that didn't always make sense. He never once judged her, never once told her she was weak. It was that friendship that he'd proven when he let go of one of his best customers. He wouldn't chase her down, but he'd be there if and when she needed the relief again.

Nez met Howard eight months after her discharge. He had seen her potential and had taken her in. Detox had been hell, but he'd sat by her bedside and his was the first face she had seen. He'd supported her and he'd believed in her. He'd gotten her clean, and no matter what Mattie said, she wasn't sure it was a debt she could repay, much less already had.

That's why she hoped she was wrong. For her sake. For Tom's. For Dumont's. For _Howard's_. She wanted to be wrong.

She was meeting him at a new location, but at least Solomon was waiting on her when she arrived this time. "I could use some good news today," she told him as she stepped into the back alley.

Her former partner tilted his head. "I suppose that depends on what you're looking for. One thing's for certain. Those two did not get enough couple's counseling."

Nez snorted a laugh and took the file from him and flipped through it as he spoke. "I've spent the last several days following up on leads. Mostly scientists and engineers linked to the prototype, though I came across a banker that was particularly chatty."

"These funds began transferring before Scottie fully took over Halcyon," Nez murmured.

Solomon hummed a soft affirmative. "At some point in there it looks like they were battling for this black budget," he said and Nez looked up to see his expression turn irritable. "It gets muddled. I can't tell you exactly where one begins and the other one ends, but I can tell you that this fight for control over Whitehall was going on long before we were involved."

She didn't like the evidence she was seeing. Solomon had always been thorough, and he had been with the information he had. "Scottie did try to have him pushed out."

"And there's a line item for maintenance done on his plane right before it went down. I did a lot of digging on that one. I couldn't link it to someone specific, but I _was_ able to clear Howard of it."

"Is it possible we have a third party in play?"

Solomon shrugged. "Someone pulling the strings and hoping the Hargraves will go to battle and end each other? Possibly. Your new partner would have motive in that."

Nez shook her head. "No, it's not Tom."

"You sweet on him, Nez?" Solomon teased and she rolled her eyes.

"Listen, I know you don't like him, don't trust him, and with what went down between you no one can blame you, but Tom's just trying to find the truth."

"You trust him," Solomon murmured, the reality seeming to press on him.

"I do. And I need you to trust me on that."

He nodded slowly. "If it's not Keen, then he'd be a third party's next target."

"We've kept it pretty quiet about who he is. Even the Board doesn't know."

"Smart." His dark gaze shifted to catch hers. "This is all circumstantial, Nez. All we might be able to take from it is that the Hargraves are a seriously messed up family."

"And we thought we came from complicated backgrounds," Nez chuckled.

"Mmm. I need Whitehall."

"No."

"Do you want definitive answers or not?"

She shot him a long suffering look. "He's under heavy guard. Heavier once Howard catches wind that his engineers are turning up missing." She closed her eyes, searching for a better alternative. "I can get you Pendergast."

"The PI?"

"Yeah. Tom said he was one of the few people that knew Howard was alive after his plane went down."

"He's loyal then," Solomon said thoughtfully, but then shrugged. "Everyone has a breaking point."

Nez shook her head, Solomon's expression reminding her of a child about to get a new toy. One that he would likely rip apart and leave in pieces by the end of it.

"You told Keen I'm your source yet?"

"No."

"Better do that soon. My guess is that Hargrave Jr hates being kept in the dark after everything."

"None of us are fans of it," Nez murmured, knowing that he was right. The longer she went without telling him, the more of a hypocrite she was for asking for his trust.

"But first," Solomon said, pulling her out of her thoughts, "Pendergast."

* * *

"He's missing."

Howard looked up from the papers he was looking through to find Richard Whitehall standing at his office door. It was late. His secretary had gone home for the evening and the few people that might have seen him wouldn't have thought anything about it, but he didn't like being ambushed in his own office without warning. He set the file down, his sharp eyes meeting the other man's. "You'll need to be a little more specific than that."

"Banning," the scientist said sharply, stepping in and closing the door behind him. "I've been trying to get ahold of him for days. I finally went to the facility-"

"We've talked about you going there without me," Howard said.

"No one's seen him in days. Several of his people are gone too."

"Why is this the first I'm hearing about it?"

"You'll have to ask them," the other man huffed, taking a seat on the other side of Howard's desk. "They were spooked when I went. Afraid of something."

"If someone is kidnapping engineers they have every right to be. My wife has… people that could still be troublesome. If she was able to tell them the location..."

"You think she still has someone on the inside?"

"I think it's certainly possible."

Whitehall sat back in the chair. "That boy of yours. How sure are you he's still on your side?"

Howard bristled at the insinuation. "I'm not worried about Tom."

"You should be. He's a loose end with the situation with your wife."

"He's my _son_."

"That's been gone for years. I've known you for a long time, Howard. I know how desperate you were to find him. Desperate enough to be blind to the fact that Scottie's little blonde secretary went to _him_ with evidence that could link you to your dead spy. He links that, how far do you think he'll need to jump to know that you and me are working together, huh? That Scottie didn't fund the prototype. You did."

"She would have."

"But she didn't, and that's all that'll matter to your long lost boy, and when he starts on that we're _all_ screwed." He leaned forward. "You and I both know what my inventions can do, Howard. The _good_ they can do, but only once they've been fully realized."

"And they will be," Howard said calmingly. "I'll find out missing engineers, and you'll see Tom had nothing to do with it."

"And if he did? It took Scottie downing your plane before you accepted she was a real threat."

"I'll handle whatever I find. You…" He pulled in a deep breath. "You need to lay low. Do not go back to the lab and don't come back here. I'll contact you."

The older man didn't look happy, but he didn't have a lot of room to argue. Howard funded his research, his lab, and the engineering of his designs. Who he suspected to be behind what could be a very subtle attack didn't really matter. Howard would get to the bottom of it and deal with the threat in his own way.

* * *

"So, you may have been right," Liz said as she took a seat on her side of the bed.

Tom looked up from his laptop, an old pair of glasses perched on his nose for the first time in a long time and a curious look settling into his expression. "Yeah? What about?"

"Aram and Samar. They've been trying to keep it quiet around the Post Office, but they're seeing each other."

"Finally," her husband chuckled.

Liz pulled her still-damp hair back, tying it out of her way for the night. "I think everyone but them saw it." She pursed her lips together, thinking her next question through. "Would it be weird to go on a double date with them?"

Tom's dark blue gaze slid over to her, amusement barely contained there. "Why would that be weird?"

"I don't know… I guess it's just blurring the lines between work and home."

"Oh yeah. Those are really strong lines there," Tom teased. "With your partners and your boss as our daughter's godparents, your father as your CI-"

"Okay, you've made your point," she laughed, kicking at him a little under the sheets and he grinned.

"It sounds great, Liz. A little bit of normal. We can have them over or go out. It'd be nice."

She hummed a soft agreement as she reached over and closed his laptop lid, leaning over him to set it on the nightstand.

"What's going on here?" he asked, the corners of his lips curling upward as she took his glasses off his nose and put those aside as well.

"We're done with work for the night. Whatever it is can wait until morning."

His smile only grew. "Yes ma'am."

She leaned in to kiss him, finding no protest in the movement. He shifted down, slouching against the pillows so that she was nearly on top of him, but the moment was interrupted by a knock at the front door.

Both Keens froze, listening hard to make sure it had been their front door and not a neighbor's. "You expecting someone?" Tom asked, and when Liz shook her head he slipped out from under her, starting for the front door. She waited only half a beat before grabbing a robe and following.

She peeked around the doorframe of their room and towards the front door as Tom pulled it open. "Hey, what's up?" he greeted and shifted enough that Liz saw who their visitor was.

Donald Ressler looked awkward standing at their doorstep, every movement of his body language screaming how uncomfortable he was. "I, uh, you know, I shouldn't have come. It's late, you guys look like you were already in for the night. I didn't wake Agnes up, did I?"

"No, she'd sleep through a nuclear explosion these days. Don't know how long it'll last, but we're loving it while it does," Tom answered and he stepped back, giving Ressler space to enter.

He hesitated and Liz stepped forward. "It's fine, Ress. Come on in."

It took a moment, but Ressler finally stepped past Tom and into the apartment, and Liz couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong. She hadn't seen that haunted look on him in a long time and as he passed her, going towards the couch she was motioning to, she kicked herself for not paying more attention. She knew giving up the evidence to link Hitchin to Reven Wright's murder was difficult for Ressler, but she should have been there for her partner through it. She knew him well enough that his first go-to wasn't to seek help. He was stubborn and he'd been through a lot recently.

He took a heavy seat and Liz heard Tom move around to the kitchen, sounding like he was putting a kettle on the stove for tea, close enough he was there if needed but not intruding on the conversation.

Liz took a slow, careful seat next to her partner. "What's up?"

Ressler drew in a sharp breath. "I…." he managed as he released it, but was up on his feet again in an instant. "I'm sorry, Keen. I can't. I shouldn't have-"

She wrapped her fingers around his wrist, the movement gentle but firm, and she eased him back down. "You need to talk to someone, Ressler. That's… pretty obvious. I swear to you that whatever you say will not leave this apartment."

He nodded, the next breath he drew in much shakier than the first. "I've done… Liz…."

The way his voice broke when he said her name broke her heart. She swallowed hard. "Ress, of all the places you could come to _not_ be judged, this is the one. I know what it feels like to… bend your morals to the point that it hurts."

"I killed her."

Liz blinked hard. "What?" she managed. That hadn't been what she expected.

"Hitchin. She's dead. I… Oh hell, Keen."

She wrapped her arms around him and her partner folded in, trembling and shaking and terrified like she'd never seen him before. "It's okay. We're…. we're going to make it okay," she swore, glancing up as Tom rounded back into the living room with two mugs of tea still steaming.

"Yours has a kick," he promised as Ressler straightened to look at it, pulling a mirthless laugh from him and a quiet _thanks_.

Liz had thought her husband might turn and head back to their room, leaving she and Ressler to a private conversation, but instead he cleared his throat, running his hand through his hair in a nervous movement he made when he was approaching a delicate subject. "How'd you take care of the body?"

" _Tom_!" Liz hissed, shooting a glare towards him and he held up his hands in defense.

"It's a valid question."

Ressler flinched just a little and took a long sip from the spiked tea Tom had given him. "I called someone. Henry Prescott. He was… Reddington introduced us when Prescott led us to Reven's body."

"Did you give him your name?"

It was Ressler's turn to shoot him a glare. "I'm not an idiot."

"Just making sure."

Liz had to bite back her irritation. Tom, in his own way, was watching out for Ressler as much as she was. He was being practical about the situation and making sure that a man that preferred to stay well within the law didn't have that same law crush him. He was handling that side of it, and it was up to Liz to try to navigate the emotional side. "Walk us through it, Ress," she said softly.

He swallowed hard, squeezing his eyes closed and gripping the mug of tea tightly. After a long moment his eyes slid back open and his gaze was distant. "She…. Gave me my badge back. She said she wanted to make it clear what she expected in return for taking out the investigation into the Task Force. She grabbed me and I just… hell," he breathed. "I don't know if I hit her or jerking away made her lose her balance, but she fell. Hit her head. She was gone before I even knew what happened."

He was shaking again and Liz carefully took the mug from his hands before it fell. "Ress, look at me." She waited until he did and she held his gaze. "This is _not_ your fault."

"I killed her, Keen."

"You didn't do it on purpose."

"I… I don't know. I _hated_ her. She…. just looking at her I got so angry. Free and clear after everything she's done and that smug look like she knew it…."

"Hey," she said softly, reaching forward and touching his hand. "I know you, Ressler. You're a good man. You wanted her behind bars. This isn't your fault."

"I covered it up. I should-"

"Stop," she said, a bit more sharply than she meant to. "Do you remember a few years ago when I told you I was going to turn myself in for the harbormaster murder?" She did her best to focus on Ressler and not Tom who had taken a seat in one of the chairs a few feet away.

"Yeah," Ressler managed.

"I didn't kill the man, but I felt like I did because I covered it up. I was… responsible for the situation we were all in right then and…" She swallowed hard. "And you convinced me that the work we do, the lives we save in the Task Force-"

"This is different, Keen. This is no one's life but my own. If you went to jail, the Task Force would have been disbanded. If I go, you're just a man down."

"That's crap and you know it," Liz growled. "You're my partner. You're an important member of our team. You're _family_ , and if Laurel Hitchin's body rots in some flower bed so you don't have to rot in jail, that's more than a fair trade."

Ressler sat still on the couch for a long moment, staring at her. He glanced over to Tom who offered him a shrug. "Hitchin tried to have Liz assassinated. I say let her rot."

Liz's partner loosed a breath, a shaky chuckle escaping on it. "I should have known better than to come to the Keen household and expect you guys to tell me I did the wrong thing."

"You're my partner, Ress. I'm going to have your back. No matter what. And you will get through this. I'll be with you every step of the way. Any time."

His smile was strained but real. "Thanks, Keen."

* * *

Notes: I've been chattering over on Tumblr with several people over how it'd be great to see Ressler reach out to someone about this, so I really wanted to work it in somewhere, and I'm actually rather pleased with the way it panned out in the end. I just want to wrap Ress in a blanket and protect him after that finale, but at least his partner can do it for me. And I'm pretty sure Tom was ready to go bury a body if needbe lol

Please feel free to leave your thoughts! Reviews really do help me write :D

Next time - Nez and Solomon uncover bad news all around, Reddington makes contingency plans, and Tom confronts his father.


	9. Truth Will Out

**Chapter Nine: Truth Will Out**

As a rule, Matias Solomon didn't work with partners. He had an individual or individuals that he took orders from and often a team that took their cues from him, but he didn't like partners. Trust was expected. Equality. Give and take. Those weren't his forte.

He could have done this alone. He had no question in his mind about that. Pendergast was hardly in prime fighting condition anymore. A snatch and grab was well within his skill set, as was the interrogation to follow.

But there she was, and he had _insisted_ on it.

Nez Rowan was a talented operative. She had good instincts and a clever, sharp mind. She was also more loyal than anyone Solomon had ever known, even after their recent run in in which she had chosen Tom Keen and Howard Hargrave over him. One choice did not wipe out all the others she had made, and she'd been the one at his bedside when he'd come around after Keen had shot him. She was the one that had made sure Scottie knew where to look for him.

"What are you thinking so hard on?" Nez's voice broke through and he looked around.

"Loyalties," he answered honestly.

"Thinking about screwing me over, Mattie?"

"Not for an instant," he murmured.

"What are you getting from this?"

He blinked at her. "I told you that you'd owe me a-"

"Favour, I know," she cut him off. "You're taking a risk here. I'm not an idiot. I know that your former employers would put you down if they ever caught up with you. Are you wanting Halcyon to take you back at the end of this?"

Solomon drew in a deep breath, thinking about the best way to answer as he screwed the suppressor onto his gun. "Well, I suppose that depends on who comes out on top, doesn't it?"

She chuckled, following his lead and readying her own weapon. She closed her eyes then and Solomon saw the conflict playing across her face. "Better say it before we go in."

"Zeke," she said at last.

"Who?"

"Long dreads, helped us infuriate Halcyon. You drew him out by shooting Vito and then put a bullet in his chest."

Solomon tilted his head in question. "I'm sorry, but I fail to see what you're holding against me. They shot at me, I shot at them. Are you upset I was a better shot?"

She rolled her eyes. "You knew who he was and targeted him."

He paused, letting the words roll around inside of his head before he decided that his respect for her earned her a little honesty. "You brought your drug dealer to a gunfight, Nez. Yes, I targeted him. Is this going to be a problem? If so, you need to say so now."

Nez didn't answer right away and Solomon loosed a breath, ready to call it off, but she spoke first. "No matter what happens, you don't lay a finger on Howard or Tom."

"Fine," he ground out.

"And you and me? This is just professional."

"Of course."

"Then we're good to go. Let's go get answers."

She brushed past him and Solomon hesitated only half a beat, trying to shake a feeling off that he couldn't quite pinpoint. They needed to focus. This was all about focus now.

* * *

Complications were a part of life. It was something that he'd learned early on and something that life continued to teach him. One complication after another, he overcame them. Step by step, brick by brick, he'd beaten back his enemies, built an empire, and protected the person he'd cared about most in the best way that he knew how. He'd given everything up for that cause and now it seemed that that life was taking everything back from him.

Time and again he'd underestimated Kate Kaplan, and by doing so his empire lay in rubble, the ashes still burning even after her death so that he would truly be left with nothing. When she'd mentioned a confidant, his mind had not gone to Elizabeth's husband. Tom had been caught up in his own family drama - a family that Reddington had tried to warn him away from, little good that did him - and off in New York City with it, but he'd dropped everything as soon as Kate called, apparently.

In hindsight it made sense that she would call him. He had a history of being entirely too willing to undermine Reddington with little regard for the consequences of his actions. It had nearly gotten Elizabeth and Agnes killed by Rostov, and now he was going to set a situation that already had no room for for a false step up for an explosion without ever being the wiser to it until it happened.

The worst part of it was that Tom likely thought he was doing the _right_ thing, a concept he really should know better on after the life he'd lived, but as with everything close to him he was taking this personally and it'd skewed his judgement. He had seen himself as loyal to Bill McCready who had tried to kill him more than once for his betrayals and in his mind, Reddington had done the same to Kate Kaplan. It was a limited view, refusing to see the bigger picture, but if Red were putting a bet on what Tom had told himself to accept Kate's last request, that would likely be it.

Foolish, arrogant, and rash. Of all the traits he could have inherited from Howard, why did those have to be the ones that had come through?

"Raymond."

The Concierge of Crime looked up at the sound of Dembe's voice and spotted Elizabeth Keen making her way down the pier for their meeting that they had set. He hadn't spoken to her since Baz's funeral and couldn't be sure if her husband had shared the suitcase with her or not yet. It was possible, after their conversation at the funeral, that Tom really was hoping to give Reddington a chance to tell her himself. Well, he'd likely know more once they'd spoken. "Elizabeth, you're looking well today. Have a seat."

"It's been quiet around the Post Office with you in rebuild mode and Gale finally backing off."

"I wouldn't count Agent Gale out just yet. He's tenacious."

"He's something," Elizabeth groused, but her gaze slid over to him and Reddington could feel her studying him even as he focused on the waves beyond the pier. "How is the rebuild going?"

"Slowly and with great care. Has Harold sent you here to ask for a new Blacklister?"

"We won't turn you down if you have one, but no. I came to see you."

Reddington finally let his gaze shift to her and found a pair of blue eyes on him that reminded him painfully of Katarina's. They stared at him, the expression not quite open, but not closed off either. They'd entered into yet another chapter of this story they were living and with each new event things became…. complicated. Yet again.

"Or you're welcome to tell me something about my past."

That pulled a rough chuckle from him and he saw her own sly smile perk her lips up. "Marcus Fischer."

Elizabeth's smile faded just a little. "Who?"

"Your next Blacklister."

"Someone in the way of your rebuild?" she asked, though there was a little less judgment in her voice than usual.

"Perhaps, but it's a win win as long as the Bureau is still interested in putting criminals behind bars." He reached into his jacket pocket and extended an envelope. Elizabeth pried it open and pulled several documents from it. He spoke as she scanned them. "Fischer is one of the world's leading forgers. He has a team of experts at his disposal and, if you play it right, you will have a list of aliases to keep in your files that may lead you to countless criminals."

"Not your forger, I take it?"

"Heavens no."

"What do you get from him?"

Reddington flashed her a smile as he stood. "How is Agnes liking her bear?"

He watched her look like she might argue and then stop, her expression softening as she shook her head. "She loves it."

"Good," he murmured, blue eyes sweeping across the bay. For the moment it looked like they were in the clear. He just needed to make sure that it remained that way.

* * *

Liz tossed her purse on the table as she walked through the front door of her apartment, feeling a sense of relief at being home. She spotted a set of keys already in the bowl and inched further into the apartment, unsure if the quiet meant that Agnes was down for a nap or not. It was late, but not completely out of the question.

What she found stopped Liz in her steps, a sense of warmth washing over her and she couldn't help but smile a little at the sight of her husband flopped back on the couch, sound asleep, their daughter on his chest, Agnes' arms up and as close to hugging on her daddy's neck as the could get. Tom had one arm loosely wrapped around her in turn to keep her from rolling off in her sleep.

After a long moment one dark blue eye cracked open. "Hey," he whispered.

"Hey. You guys have a long day?"

"We did. We went out to the park to make up for the fact I was at the lab all morning."

"Find out anything new?"

"Not a lot." Agnes stirred and Tom shifted under her. "The bones are somewhere between twenty-five and thirty years old, female, and missing her teeth, making it that much more difficult to ID."

"Of course it is." Liz stepped forward and scooped a now squirming Agnes up who gave a big yawn in her mother's ear. "Reddington didn't say anything about it when I met with him this morning."

"Stubborn bastard," Tom grumbled and Liz shot him a warning look.

"She's going to start repeating us sooner or later. Do you really want that to be our daughter's first words?"

He flashed her a grin. "If it's about her Grandpa Red she wouldn't be wrong."

A knock came from the front door. Liz quirked an eyebrow at him. "Or her daddy. Were you expecting someone?"

"Yeah. Nez, but not for another…" His voiced trailed off as he checked his watch. "Well we're not getting her back down tonight. I didn't realise how late it was."

"Yep. My husband is officially the old guy that falls asleep on the couch," she laughed as she set Agnes on her hip to go answer the door.

Nez Rowan stood in the hallway, a bag hanging off her shoulder and a grim expression on her face. "Hey, Liz."

"Nez," Liz greeted, trying to crush the unsettling feeling that her expression brought on.

Agnes started to squirm in her arms and all of a sudden she was reaching out to Nez, wanting to switch who was holding her. The operative stared for a moment, a little startled, but her expression softened slowly. "Hey you. You remember me from the other day?"

"Watch out. You think she wants to say hi, but she's really after your hair," Liz warned, stepping back to give the other woman room to come in.

"She's adorable. She gets away with it," Nez answered, her smile not quite fading as she held a finger out for Agnes to latch onto and the little girl did, giggling as Nez flexed her finger and she made a grab for the woman's hair. She dodged expertly.

"Do you have children?"

"Oh no. This life doesn't really…" She stopped, looking a little awkward. "No, I don't, but I did have a brother that was a decade younger than me. Trust me, he had a way of getting ahold of anything and everything."

Liz tried for a smile, doing her best to ignore the slip about the difficulties of keeping the balance between being an operative and having a family. Even as an FBI agent she felt it, and she knew Tom did as well. Their lives were dangerous and they could be gunned down on any case, any operation, leaving Agnes to grow up without one or both of them. It was a terrible thought, and one that had struck her on more than one occasion while ducking gunfire in the street or hearing her husband talk about some dangerous stunt he'd pulled with Halcyon, but in the end it was who they were just as much as they were Agnes' parents. It was a difficult balance, but it was important and they were willing to fight for it. "Does your brother live in New York too?" she asked, looking for a way to shift out of the awkward conversation.

"No. He died… several years ago," Nez answered and looked over to Tom as they entered the living room. "You napping, Keen?"

"What'cha got, Nez?" he asked, entirely ignoring her jab as he padded across the living room to Agnes who was already trying to get back to him. He held out his arms and she all but fell into them while her mother did her best not to be insulted. "Good to know you've missed me," he laughed, kissing her temple and holding her close.

Nez looked awkwardly between Tom and Liz. "I, uh… have that information from my informant. Do you have some place we can talk?"

"I'm just going to tell Liz anyway. You might as well save the time it'll take to relay it," Tom said as he moved to put Agnes down in her playpen. She frowned, almost like she was about to start throwing a fit, until he reached over for the bear with his red bowtie and she squealed happily for him.

Nez's expression had darkened again as she swung her bag around, pulling files from it. She handed them over without a word and Liz watched her husband's face as he took them and started flipping through the pages. She watched while still giving him space and she saw glimpses of satellite surveillance, transcribed phone conversations, photos, and various write ups that looked like reports. Tom's expression was stone, his eyes sharp as he read and Liz hated that look. It was the one he wore to shut everything and everyone out. The one where only he knew what he was really thinking. She used to be afraid of it, but now she just hated it.

"We got ahold of Howard's PI Pendergast."

"I know him. He's loyal. How'd you make him talk?"

Nez grimaced. "It took a while."

Tom's gaze flickered up at that. "Nez."

"What?" she asked defensively, thumbing at her nose.

"You have a lot of talents. You could take on almost anyone that comes at you, but advanced interrogation? It's not your style. Who did you bring in on this? How do we know this is real?"

She shifted her weight, her eyes finding anything else but Tom Keen to focus on and Liz watched her swallow hard, mumbling a name under her breath.

" _What_?" Tom growled, his eyes flashing dangerously and that mask broke.

"You've had enough on your plate. I didn't want to-"

"Who?" Liz cut in, feeling like she was being left out of a very important revelation. She would have rathered been asked to leave the room than talked around.

"Matias Solomon," Nez said smally and Liz felt her temper flare.

"That bastard?" she hissed.

Tom reached out, his fingertips only barely touching her arm and she saw him shake his head, though she could see just how much it was troubling him. "Fine. Okay."

"It's real, Tom," Nez said quietly. "I wish it weren't. I wish none of this had been real and that it were all some… I don't know. Some misunderstanding, but it's not. She may not have built the prototype, but she sure as hell wasn't honest with us. She's been working for a third party this whole time. Those payments… those were coming in before you were born. She has a handler, Tom."

Tom had gone quiet and Liz saw the strain on his face to try to maintain his composure. It was slipping quickly and as she reached out, trying to offer some semblance of comfort, he pulled away from her. "Is Howard in New York?"

"Yeah."

He nodded, moving towards the little table by the door where his keys and wallet lay, his boots propped up next to it. "I have to go," he said, the words thin and pained. "I'll… I'll try to be home tonight. I will be home tonight."

"Tom, let me call Carly. I'll go with you," Liz tried, but he was already shaking his head.

"I can't wait. I have to deal with this now. I have to…" He swallowed hard, closing his eyes and when they opened again Liz saw they were glassy with rare tears. "I love you. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Call me when you're on your way home? I don't care how late it is."

He nodded, but that seemed all he could do. He didn't say another word as he turned and grabbed what he needed, shoving his feet into his boots and heading out the front door.

Liz stood frozen in their living room, Agnes starting to fuss from her playpen and Liz turned to Nez. "I want to see everything he just looked through."

"I don't know if-"

"I'm not asking."

* * *

It had been a long day. The Board had kept him cooped up to talk finances, direction, and public perception. He'd sat at that long table long enough to feel like he was shackled again, kept there against his will. It was infuriating sometimes and Howard often questioned why he'd allowed the Board so much power to begin with.

Things were not going as well as he'd hoped. Daniel Pool - the one that Tom and his team knew as Trevor Sanders or their John Doe - was never supposed to hurt the girl. He was supposed to get close to Scottie, but he'd deviated when she'd proven difficult. He'd been an arrogant child and Howard knew it. He'd told his son that he wasn't responsible for Kat's death, and while he hadn't given the order, he'd settled for an arrogant idiot rather than a talented operative. Daniel had been a contingency plan if Scottie realized who Tom was too quickly. He was never supposed to cause so many problems.

Now his son was suspicious. Angry. The son he'd looked so long for was shutting him out and it hurt. It'd been a long time since something had gnawed at him quite like that. Well, something other than Scottie's betrayal.

"Drinking alone?"

Howard startled in his chair, halfway to his feet. It was rare that someone could sneak up on him, but his uninvited guest had footsteps as quiet as a cat's. Once he saw who had infiltrated his home he finally released the breath he'd dragged in sharply at the words. "Dammit, Red."

Raymond Reddington smirked just a little, his hat in his hand, and he motioned to the stand that held an assortment of liquors. Howard nodded and he poured himself a drink. "I must say, I would have expected you to find somewhere else to live. This place…. Ghosts walk the halls."

The taller man settled back in his chair again as the man he'd known many years settled in the one across from him, his hat on his knee. "It's my home, Red. Christopher… Tom's home."

"The home he doesn't remember," Reddington drawled.

"He might. And if he doesn't, we can build something new. I've waited too long to let this slip away. You know how that feels."

Reddington pushed a long breath through his nose and tilted his head. "It's been a long time, Howard. I've found myself… short on friends as of late. I hope I can still count you as one."

Howard's lips quirked up at the corners. "I've known you a long time, Red. Been through hell with you, and I know when you're asking for a favour. What do you need?"

The other man chuckled. "Information. Your son has something of mine. I believe he's delivered it to one of your forensic labs for research."

"This sounds like a conversation that you should have with Tom, not me."

"You haven't been around your son long enough to know, Howard. He's reckless. Dangerous in the way he latches onto an idea and holds on without any thought of the consequences at times. He thinks he's helping Elizabeth, but really he's setting her up for more pain that he could possibly know. Something that could destroy her. I want to protect her from that, but to do it, I need what your son stole from me."

"I'd like to help you, Red. I would," Howard said slowly, his gaze focusing on the cubes of ice that had half melted in his own amber liquid, "but you're asking me to choose you over my son. I won't. I'd be happy to-"

"You've been so focused on your son lately, Howard, I wonder if you noticed all the signs that Marcus Fischer has caught the FBI's attention?"

Howard blinked, startled. "Fischer? Why would he... " Realization hit like a slap to the face. "What have you done, Red?"

"We'll call it insurance, what do you say?" his old colleague said cheerfully as he sipped at Howard's good scotch.

"You knew I wasn't going to give in to this."

"I'd hoped that you'd make the right decision, but I couldn't risk that your judgment would be clouded. Fischer is your lead forger for your black ops division, isn't he? Surely you know that he has a side business as well, but you look the other way because he really is one of the very best."

"Kind of like the FBI looks the other way for you?"

Reddington's lips thinned out in a strange sort of smile. "I need the location of the suitcase that Tom delivered. Find it, get it to me, and you have my word that this will go away. Don't, and I imagine that you'll have some trouble explaining to the Board why you've allowed someone such as Mr Fischer to remain on the payroll so long."

There was a flash of headlights out the front window and Howard saw a black car pull into the driveway. His gaze remained fixed there, wondering who on earth the guards would have let in at this hour, and saw Tom step out once the car had come to a stop.

Reddington turned, quirking an eyebrow.

"Get out, Red. If he sees you here-"

"Find the suitcase or you'll have trouble sending your operatives anywhere until you rebuild your documents division," Reddington said, the false cheer thin and Howard saw the barest glimpse of the desperation beneath it all. He felt it too, even as Red moved passed him to take a back exit and his son pounded on the front door.

* * *

His knuckles hurt he was knocking against the large, wood door so hard. If he'd ever been to the giant house that Howard Hargrave supposedly lived in - with its guards at the front gate and its security taking note of every twitch of his expression - he couldn't remember it. Even if he had it didn't matter. None of it mattered anymore.

If Scottie cared, if Howard cared… none of it mattered. It was all a lie anyway.

He heard the locks being undone from inside and the door was pulled open, his father standing in a cardigan and house shoes. "Tom, I didn't know you were back in town tonight. Come in. Everything okay?"

"No," Tom answered sharply as he stepped in, flexing his fist open and shut in an anxious movement he'd never quite shaken. "No it's not. I have…. I've been looking into Kat's murder."

"I thought you put that on the back burner while you helped Liz?"

"I'm a multitasker." He swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet the taller man's eyes. "You lied to me. You've… been lying to me since the beginning. You…" He felt his breath catch and he shoved it down hard. He needed to shut it out. Replace it. Anger rather than hurt. Threats rather than questions. He knew how to make a man talk. He knew how to make a man fear for his life if he needed to. Right then, with the pain raging and mixing with every other emotion that he couldn't quite name, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be a good man or not.

"Tom, son, have a seat. Talk to me. What's happened? Is this about what we spoke about the other day? I've gotten you reinstated at the jail. You can see Scottie whenever-"

"You used me to put my mother in prison. You… orchestrated everything. I know what you did. Just once have the decency to tell me to my face. Why now?"

Silence stretched between them for a long moment until Howard cleared his throat. "Whatever she's told you-"

"Pendergast."

The name hung in the air and Tom watched just a little of the colour drain from Howard's face and he nodded. "Yeah. I told you that I know what you did. You kill Kat, you lied to Nez, and you _used_ me."

"I never touched that girl, Tom. If I could have known she would have been hurt in all of this, I would have stopped it. I was trying to protect you. If you really broke Pendergast, you know what Scottie is, Tom. You know that she's a foreign agent, just like I warned you about. She's not a body double. Her DNA was the first thing I had them run when he was arrested, but… It's worse, almost. She's been playing us since the first moment. Me first and then you. She used _us_. We were her cover, Tom. She-."

"If you really wanted to protect me you would have told me!" Tom yelled, his voice pitching up and everything in him felt like it was trembling, and angry tears blurred his vision. "But you weren't trying to protect me, were you? Your investigator that you had tracking me… you knew. I've been trying to ignore it, trying to find an explanation for it, but it's simple. You've known where I was for years, but you left me because you didn't need me. Not until you were ready. She may have used us, but you used _me_."

"Tom, please." He reached out as if he were going to touch Tom's arm and the younger man jerked away hard.

"Don't come anywhere near my family again. Stay away from us. Stay the hell away from me. I'm done with this. I wish to everything I'd never come looking for either of you."

He turned then and the instinct to run was stronger than it'd been in a long time. He needed to get out of there. He needed to leave. He needed to go home to the people he loved and that loved him in return.

* * *

Notes: When Redemption was announced I was so excited to get to get to know Tom's mother. In all honesty, I had more theories about her than Tom's father. I'd just assumed he'd never really been in the picture for some reason, but the moment Terry O'Quinn was announced as Howard Hargrave and a little about his personality was leaked I was all in for this complicated father-son dynamic. Don't get me wrong. There's plenty to come for Scottie, but I have a weakness for these relationships, so this chapter sort of broke my heart.

Next time - Tom and Liz try to find their version of normal on a double date with Samar and Aram.


	10. Something Like Normal

**Chapter Ten: Something Like Normal**

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't see. He could feel though.

He felt the salt burning his eyes and his lungs. He felt a hand shoving him under. More overwhelming than even that, he felt the fear that left him frozen there. He couldn't move. Couldn't fight. He couldn't recall a time in his life when he couldn't fight. He had always been a survivor, even in the least likely of circumstances. He'd always managed to come out of it alive, even if not entirely intact.

Finally the hand dragged him up and he coughed and sputtered, still unable to drag the air into his lungs. A figure stood over him, smirking down at him, but slowly morphed into two and he found Scottie and Howard staring down on him. They reached out and shoved him back under.

Then he fought and struggled, but as he broke the surface of the water his eyes focused on an entirely different face. It wasn't Scottie or Howard or even the shadowy man from the beginning. Liz's eyes were wide, startled, and it took Tom half a beat to realize that he was in his own bed and had ahold of her wrist like he was ready to fight back.

He released her immediately. "I'm so sorry," he managed. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No. It's okay."

"No it's not." He reached to her wrist, touching it carefully and making sure he hadn't bruised her. He brought it to his lips and pressed a kiss to it. "I'm so sorry."

Liz pulled away so that she could touch the side of his face, guiding him to meet her gaze. "I usually know better than to startle you out of a nightmare," she murmured. "I'm fine. How about you?"

Tom loosed a shaky breath, sitting back in their bed. He'd gotten in late the night before and had found Liz waiting up for him. She'd wanted him to talk, but he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to say anything about it. So she'd held onto him, anchored him, and they must have fallen asleep like that. From the looks of it, the sun was just barely peeking over the horizon outside. "I don't know," he said after a long moment.

She let her hand drop, finding his, and their fingers wrapped around each other. "Talk to me?" she begged softly.

Tom closed his eyes, recalling the water and the hands and he coughed, almost like he expected water to be in his lungs. "I have one memory from before Frank and Eva. I don't even know for sure it's a memory. It's a dream I had as a kid and this is the first time in...years, I guess, that it's come back."

"What happened?"

"It changes a little every time, but this time I started under the water. When I came up, there was…. I don't know who he is. Was. I've never been able to make out his face, but he was trying to drown me."

"Same man every time?"

"Nearly. He… changed this time. Into Scottie and Howard."

He watched Liz close her eyes and shifted closer. He leaned into her, feeling just a little safer, a little more grounded with the closeness.

"I read the files after you left," she said quietly. "It's no wonder you feel betrayed, even scared. That's normal, honey."

Tom hummed softly. "I know I don't have the longest history of normal, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing normal about all of this."

She gave him a strained smile and kissed his cheek. "You don't have to do it alone."

"I know."

"How'd it go with Howard last night?"

She hadn't made him tell her the night before, but it looked like his reprieve was over. He supposed that was fair, considering the violent reaction he'd had to the nightmare. He always coaxed her through hers, and now she was trying to do the same. "I'm done," he said at last. "You and Agnes are the only family I need."

"Tom," she whispered, his name leaving her lips with more pain than he would have preferred.

"He used me, Liz. He…. He came into my life for the sole purpose of using me to put Scottie behind bars and taking his company back. I don't mean anything more to him than that."

"I didn't see anything in those files to prove that was the only reason he came back, Tom."

He pulled back just a little from her, but she didn't let go of his hand. "What I saw," she said calmly, "was that your mother was and possibly still is a deep cover operative for an unknown employer. Everything Howard's PI found on her looks like she married him as a mark. Look at me?" She waited until he did. "I love you, but you and I both know how badly I took it after two years of marriage. Thirty? You wouldn't be alive right now."

Her tone was lighter than the words and he snorted, his thumb moving over the back of her hand. "I love you, Liz. I loved you before I married you."

"I know that now. I didn't then, and it was the not knowing that took us down… a really dark path, if you remember."

Tom winced a little at the thought. "I didn't help with that."

"No you didn't," his wife answered and leaned into him, her shoulder bumping his. "I don't know if your mother ever loved your father. I've never met the woman. That's not even the point right now. My point is that people that are hurt by the people they love most do irrational and sometimes dangerous things. Things that they never would have done otherwise. I'm not saying what Howard did was right by any stretch. It was… twisted and terrible and put you in a place you should never have had to be in, but…. Just because he was acting out of hurt doesn't mean he doesn't love you."

"He's known where I was, Liz. He waited until I was useful to come back. I think that says enough."

He heard her loose a breath and she nodded, leaning into him. "Okay."

"Okay?"

A soft laugh escaped her. "We already agreed on just how stubborn you are." She caught his gaze. "And you'll think about it."

"Will I?"

"Yep."

Despite himself, a small smile tugged at him. "And why's that?"

"Because I know you, Tom Keen. You need time to work through how you feel on things. I'm not asking you to go back and talk to him now or tomorrow or even the next day. All I want is for you to take what I said and add it to what you're considering when you make your next move, because kind of like with Reddington, even if we say we cut ties, this is family. There's no running from this, babe."

He couldn't argue that, as much as he wanted to. Running from this would require him to disappear and to take on some new identity. A few years ago, he could have and would have done that without thinking twice about it. Now, though, the thought of leaving without Liz and Agnes left him feeling worse than being used by Howard. "I know."

"You going to be okay today?"

"Yeah. We, uh, still doing the dinner thing with Samar and Aram tonight?"

Liz blinked and Tom saw all the signs that it had completely slipped her mind. "I forgot to call the restaurant."

"Good thing I already did yesterday," he answered with a smirk and Liz broke out into a grin. "Go get ready for work. I'm fine. Really."

She hesitated a moment before leaning in and kissing him. He felt a sense of peace help to push back the anxiety. It wasn't fixed yet. It wouldn't be for a while, but he wouldn't have to tackle this alone. As long as he and Liz faced it down together, they'd be okay.

* * *

The original plan had been to meet at a restaurant, but the day had felt like it might never end with one lead after another falling through as they chased Reddington's ghost forger. By the time that the Task Force had wrapped up for the day there was no way they were going to make it, so the location had changed last second to Aram's apartment.

He answered the front door in an apron as if it were the most natural thing in the world and Liz managed to bite back the laugh in favour of the amused smile she gave him. "Hey guys. Glad you made it," he greeted, stepping back to let them in.

"Glad this worked out," Tom answered and held up the bag they had brought the drinks in. "Promise we don't come empty handed. You're a ginger beer guy, right?"

"Yeah. How'd you know that?" Aram asked, looking over to Liz who shrugged.

Tom flashed him a grin and moved to set the bag down on the table.

It had been a while since Liz had been in the apartment and things looked different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something a little strange. It smelled faintly of pot, like Aram had tried to cover it up and air it out, but it was an ongoing process. The whole place looked like it had recently been scrubbed down like a cleaner had gotten ahold of it, and Liz couldn't help but think it had to do with Janet. She hadn't pried too badly, but she knew that Aram had given her a second chance and that she'd been the one to sell him out to Gale's grand jury. Liz was the last person to judge on second chances, but she also knew how badly it stung when they didn't pan out in the best way. She and Tom had fought hard for theirs, but it had been a mutual effort that had rebuilt the trust. If Janet hadn't been willing to put that effort in for Aram, a cleanse might not be the worst thing to push past everything that had happened and move on.

"Oh hey! You got here faster than you thought," Aram greeted, pulling Liz out of her thoughts. She turned to see Samar at the door, looking as tired as the rest of them. Aram's face stretched into one of the goofiest grins she'd ever seen. "You look… amazing."

Samar managed a small laugh. "I look like I've been chasing an illusive forger all day and that I barely had time to change into clothes that didn't have blood on them," she managed, but Aram just kept on grinning and she shook her head, her own smile creeping into place slowly.

"Sounds like you guys have had a hell of a day," Tom said from where he was pulling the wine and the ginger beer out of the bag at the table.

"So," Aram cut in before shoptalk took over, "I've got about half the mix for the enchiladas put together."

"You don't cook, do you, Liz?" Samar asked and she turned to look at her.

"Uh…. Not unless it's pasta or one of those frozen meals you just stick in the oven and it it cooks itself." She caught the amused expression on her husband's face.

"Is _that_ what you think it does? That could explain a lot."

She swatted at him and his grin only grew.

"I'm not following," Samar said, head tilted just a little to the side.

"Tom's just bringing up an incident from a long time ago."

"She nearly lit her apartment on fire when we first started dating."

"Oh, is that the story you told at the funeral?" Aram asked.

Liz resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "No, this was a different time."

"You've nearly set the kitchen on fire more than once?" Samar asked, and Liz couldn't tell if she was amused or worried. Aram just looked worried.

"I _have_ gotten better," Liz huffed.

"The noodles were pretty good," Tom admitted.

"See?"

"Yeah, my oven's kind of finicky anyway, so maybe I should just-"

"I'll give you a hand."

Aram gave him a look like he was about to argue, but then stopped and shrugged. The guys started back to the kitchen and Samar was moving towards a cabinet. "This one?" she asked.

"The one just to the left," Aram instructed and she opened the doors to pull out a couple of wine glasses and a corkscrew.

Liz quirked an eyebrow as she watched the other woman open up the bottle and pour the wine into the glasses, handing her one when it was done and walking past her to the couch. Liz followed, a brief glance to see Tom and Aram had already found something to chat about. "Do you not cook either?" she asked as she joined her partner on the couch.

Samar shrugged. "I can, but Aram enjoys it. I take it you haven't had a chance to speak to Tom about Fischer?"

"No, not really. We've barely had a moment to breathe lately."

"I thought maybe he could check with his Halcyon contacts to see if anyone knew of him."

"That's…. complicated right now," Liz murmured, glancing back to see Tom finally relaxing as he and Aram rattled on on what sounded like gadgets used in Bond films. Nope. She wasn't touching that one. "What about your Mossad contacts? Has Levi gotten back to you?"

"Not yet," Samar answered. "We left things in a strange place."

Liz tilted her head, picking up on the undertones. "He knows about Aram?"

"Not by name."

Liz risked a glance back, curiosity getting the better of her. "How's all of that going?"

"All of that?" Samar echoed, sipping at her wine.

"Tom seemed to think that you guys getting together was a long time coming, but you've been at each other's throats so much lately."

"I think we have a long way to get to yours and Tom's level of _at each other's throats_ ," the taller woman pointed out, her tone pointed. It took a moment, but she must have realized how it came across. "Sorry. That was-"

"True," Liz answered and took a long sip of her own drink. "Tom and I took things to a whole different level when we hurt each other. I'm not proud of that, but it doesn't make it untrue."

"Aram and I did our own fair share of damage," Samar said softly. "I...I'm not even sure I know what _this_ is, to be honest."

"Have you not talked about it?" She would have pictured Aram as the type of man that would want to discuss every step of a relationship.

Samar stared at the burgundy liquid in her glass, pulling in a deep breath and let her eyes slip closed. "When would we have?"

Liz made a small sound of acknowledgement. Silence stretched between them for a long moment. She let it, considering the woman next to her. Samar was driven and intelligent and passionate, the type of person that once she made her mind up went for a goal fullforce, and as she sat there considering the tension between her two teammates recently, it all made a little more sense that perhaps Samar had finally taken a step only to find Janet back in Aram's life. Liz knew pieces of her past and none of it struck her as something that would have made it easy for the other woman to trust, and being burned like that wouldn't have helped matters. "Trust doesn't come easy for people like us," she said slowly, her gaze drifting over to Samar to watch for a reaction or a sign that she'd crossed a line, "especially when you put yourself on the line."

"I don't want to hurt him," she confessed.

"Or get hurt." Samar startled at the statement and Liz gave her a small smile. "It's okay to admit that."

"After everything, do you trust Tom?"

The question was serious, expecting an honest answer in return. "Yes. It took a long time and a lot of work from both of us, but I trust him. It takes both people putting themselves out there, but someone has to take that first step."

Samar nodded slowly, not answering right away, but instead she sipped on her wine. "I haven't wanted something this simple and this… complicated in a long time."

"It's worth it," Liz told her after a long moment. "That gut-wrenching fear that comes with opening up after you've been hurt. If it's the right person, it's worth it."

"He is."

Liz made a small sound of acknowledgement and sipped on her wine, watching Samar from the corner of her eye. The other woman's expression was still guarded, still hesitant, but if Liz didn't know better, she'd say it was happy too. They all deserved a little happiness after everything they'd been through.

* * *

Tom was hit and miss on pop culture - more miss than hit, if you asked his wife - but when he knew something he tended to know it through and through. Aram could carry a conversation all by himself if he'd needed to, but it'd been nice for Tom to get a chance to relax and talk about something other than work or the implosion that had become the situation with Scottie and Howard.

It carried over into dinner, with Liz shaking her head and Aram reminding her about Doctor Who that was, apparently, still saved at the Post Office and ready to be watched during any down time that they might find themselves with someday. Tom found himself grinning at the way Liz struggled to look interested as Aram listed out all the reasons why she'd love it. The conversation carried on, shifting around different topics as they ate. It was strange - the good kind, he thought - how easy it was.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Aram said excitedly, his focus zeroed in on Tom. "I was doing some research online and came across a paper your dad published. It was on ethics and technology and where we're going. The paper was fifteen or so years old, but he called so much almost perfectly. I mean, it was kind of like he had a window into how things were going to play out. It's so cool."

And just like that Tom felt his good mood plummet, but Aram didn't seem to notice.

"The man must be a genius. He had a whole section on ethical hacking and the spy state and responsible use. I wish I'd read it before Agnes' birthday party and I could have asked him about it. It was… How was it working with him? Absolutely amazing, right?"

"He's a piece of work," Tom acknowledged tightly.

"Did something happen?" The question was entirely innocent, Aram's expression even a little worried over the snappy response and Tom closed his eyes briefly, pulling in a breath to help steady himself.

He glanced over to Liz, unsure how much she expected him to share with her team. Strange as it was, they were his friends too, in a way, and part of him wanted to trust them with it, but he wasn't ready to dive into the full chaos right then. "Some new information came up. It's just kind of a mess right now."

Aram gave him a look with more pity in it than Tom cared for. "What happened?"

"Something I should have seen coming a mile away," he answered, a little more sharply than he meant to.

"So, has Agnes taken those first steps yet?" Samar asked, effectively changing the subject and Tom shot her a grateful look.

"Almost," Liz answered, her expression brightening. "She's pulled herself up, but she's still toddling over before she can get that first step in."

"She was doing that at the birthday."

Liz grinned and shot look over at Tom as she spoke. "I think the real thing is that she knows her daddy will carry her wherever she wants to go no questions asked."

Tom shrugged. "She missed me."

The conversation moved away from Howard Hargrave and eased into more neutral topics, allowing Tom to at least shift into a mask of ease. The weight remained, though, Aram's comments about his father's paper that he'd published years before sticking with him. When Scottie had been trying to escape Halcyon Tom had heard her try to remind Howard about a speech he'd made on the subject of Quantum Computing and the ethics of it. She'd seemed to believe - or at least want anyone that was listening to believe - that Howard had taken a stand against it, and there was Aram, talking about a piece that he'd found that Howard had written on ethics.

Maybe Liz had been right and he didn't know everything there was to know about why Howard did what he did. Maybe the pain of finding out Scottie had lied to him had broken him in a dangerous way. He wasn't sure yet, but he needed to be. He couldn't risk making a wrong move again. Too much was on the line.

* * *

Notes: I know a couple of people that knew this chapter was coming have been looking forward to it, so I hope it hit the mark! It was definitely one of those chapters that I thought was going to be easier to write than it turned out to be.

And meep! It looks like I've gained a couple of new readers that have been leaving reviews. Thanks guys! All of you that leave reviews make my day each and every time, I hope you know that. I grin like a loon, usually when I get an alert at work that a new email has come in. I'm sure my boss thinks I'm crazy, but that's okay. You guys are the best!

Next time - Nez and Solomon try to figure out where they stand, Tom reaches out to Scottie, and the Keens make plans on where to go next.


	11. Every Step of the Way

**Chapter Eleven: Every Step of the Way**

The sound of the alarm blaring from her burner phone dragged Nez out of her fitful sleep. She forced her eyes open, groping for the phone and finally shutting the obnoxious sound off.

"Morning, sunshine," a voice greeted and she was halfway to her feet before she realized where she was.

She had heard more details about Tom's blowup with Howard the morning following it. Howard hadn't said anything about it to her and Dumont said everything in the systems looked clear, but he seemed a little more at ease with it than Nez felt. She wasn't ready to run for the hills just yet, but she hadn't wanted to go home that night either. She didn't _think_ Howard would try to hurt them, but the man that had returned from the "dead" seemed very different from the Howard she'd known before. Underestimating him was a good way to get herself into trouble fast.

"Sleep well?" Solomon asked and handed her a cup of coffee.

She took a long whiff. Of course he had the good stuff. "Not really, but it was a bed."

"Says the woman that got the bed."

"I never asked for it. I was ready to sleep in the couch."

"What kind of gentleman would I have been if I'd let you do that? You made it clear you didn't want to _share_ your sleeping space…"

She quirked an eyebrow, doing her best not to let her eyes linger too long. No one had the right to be that attractive first thing in the morning. There she was with her hair in all directions and barely caffeinated and he looked like he was just out of the shower after an early morning gym run. "Thanks for the place to crash, Matias."

"You know I wouldn't turn you away." He moved to the rack where several shirts and suits hung, his long fingers sorting through them. "He put you in quite the spot when he went to Howard like that."

Nez snorted softly as she sipped at her coffee. Yep. Definitely the good stuff. "It's his father, Mattie. I wasn't going to stop him."

"He put you _and_ Dumont in the crosshairs."

"No, Howard and Scottie did. Listen, I know you don't like him-"

"I don't trust him," Solomon corrected as he chose a shirt, slipping it on and working at the buttons. "There's a difference."

"And he doesn't trust you, but he understood why I went to you. Better than I thought he would."

"Or he just had bigger problems with Mommy and Daddy setting off bombs all around." He crossed the space between them, his bare feet silent on the polished wood floors and his dark gaze sharp as it met hers. "You're playing with fire on this, Nez."

She cracked a small smile for him. "You know I like my life a little dangerous."

"This isn't a joke. You know how fond I am of Scottie, but this mess? I've seen some messed up families before, but this one has tragedy written all over it. If anyone gets out alive it'll be… impressive."

"Yeah, and where do you think I should go, huh?" she asked a little flippantly.

"With me." The words left him on a breath and Nez wasn't sure when he'd gotten so close. Without warning his moved forward and his lips were against hers, but she didn't pull away. Part of her knew she should, but it was at war with the part that simply didn't want to.

She felt him take the coffee cup from her with a graceful ease that didn't require him to break the kiss. Once both of their hands were free he guided her back down to the bed and she found herself in her back, Solomon leaned in over her and he deepened the kiss.

Nez rolled, not giving him much of a choice as she took him with her and suddenly she was on top. He chuckled, the sound soft and rough. "Come with me," he repeated and she stopped, the moment broken, and she sat back.

Solomon looked startled by the action and it took a moment before he sat up, the buttons of his shirt undone again and Nez rocked back. "I can't. You know that."

"You don't owe him anything," Matias said lowly, and Nez wasn't sure if he was referring to Howard or Tom.

"I know."

"Then why risk it? Come with me, Nez. We'll disappear. No Halcyon, no Cabal…" He gave her one of his most charming smiles and leaned in, stealing another kiss. "We don't need them."

"But they need me," she answered softly. "I need to see this through for me."

"You're going to get yourself killed,"

"Maybe. We'll see."

He sighed, moving so that he could stand and buttoned up his dress shirt. "Then that's your choice. Don't expect me to sit around with a target on my back and watch you take a bullet for one of the Hargraves that would never do the same for you."

He moved back to the rack, choosing a pair of slacks and changing. Just moments earlier there had been a very different feel to the room. It had always been there, that flirtation and those looks, but he'd never acted on it. It was part of his charisma and while Nez had been drawn to him, she had never been sure he felt anything - or that he was even capable of truly feeling anything - in return. In that moment, though, with the way he shut her out, she knew he'd taken a risk and she'd hurt him without wanting to.

Nez stood and he didn't move as she wrapped her arms around him from behind, her forehead pressed against his back in a physical touch that felt much more natural than it had been between them. "You can stay, you know."

"No, I can't," he snapped, pulling away. "This place is paid for through the end of the month. Stay if you don't feel like going home, but I'll be gone by this evening."

"Mattie…"

He sat in the bed, tugging on socks and shoes. "They _will_ kill me, Nez. I know far too much and they've already tried once. They won't miss again if they get another chance. I'm not afraid to die, but I'll be damned if I give them a clean shot at me because you want to help Tom Keen."

Nez didn't find her voice before he stood, grabbed a cost from the hook, and was gone without so much as a goodbye.

* * *

Howard had been good to his word in one thing at least: Tom wasn't turned away when he handed over his ID to the guard. He was led back to the visiting room and after a few minutes, Scottie was brought in, cuffed to the table, and they were left alone.

"It's good to see you, Tom."

His expression didn't shift, remaining entirely neutral as he watched her. "Do you remember when we were looking for Copeland? I came into your office late one evening and you were looking for photos for the funeral."

"I remember."

"You told me that Howard had changed. I need you to tell me about him before he did."

Scottie Hargrave stared at him for a long moment. "Why?"

Tom closed his eyes. "He's told me about you."

She nodded slowly, her voice quiet in the beginning as she told him about meeting his father at a seminar and he'd asked her out for dinner. They'd gone, he'd charmed her, and they had talked well into the night until the restaurant was closed and they had to leave. She hadn't seen him or heard from him for weeks following until he showed up at her college campus. Things had moved quickly from there.

Tom let her talk, the stories leading where they did. She relaxed a little more when she spoke about him, her expression softening considerably. "He loved you then. With everything that happened, you should know that. You'll find out the truth about him and you'll need to know that before he… became like he is, he did love you."

That caught Tom a little off guard and he had to force himself back behind his own guards, the stories having pulled far too many emotions to the forefront. "And you? Did you ever love us?"

"Of course I did. You and your father were my whole world."

Her wording struck a nerve and Tom pushed it down hard. "I think it's time you and I are straight with each other, Scottie," he said, his expression even and his tone just a little dangerous. "I have Howard's research on you. Not just the flight report. That was inconclusive. I'm talking about the payments, the coded messages passed between you and your handlers."

"Tom, there are no codes-"

"Stop." She met his gaze and his voice was low as he spoke. "I've been in this business for a long time. Bud picked me up when I was fourteen. I graduated from the St Regis program faster than any other student. I was his best. Not the best he had then. His _best_. I know the spy game better than most spies ever will, so don't screw with me, Scottie. I know who you are. That's not the question."

"What's the question then?" she asked tightly, the sudden change causing her to retreat behind her own walls.

"Was it ever real or did you use us from the beginning?"

"Your father fabricated everything he's given you. I'm not what he says I am."

He saw the barest of flickers in her gaze up towards the camera in the corner. Dumont already had that covered, but Scottie didn't know that. She had no way to know that, and Tom thought he recognized fear buried deeply under her gaze. If she was afraid of him, of Howard, or someone else, he wasn't completely sure, but he was going to find out.

"Bill McCready raised you?" The question was soft and Tom looked over at her.

"Yeah."

She pursed her lips together. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged, standing. "Bud taught me how to survive. He… working for him put me in a place that got me to Liz and Agnes."

"If you love them you'll stop looking into this."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because you've already lost them once. I don't want to see you lose them again."

Tom stared at her for a long moment. "You're good, Scottie, but if you want my help - if you want anything at all from me - stop trying to manipulate me. All it's doing is making me trust you less."

He turned them, tapping on the door to signal he was ready to leave.

* * *

It had been a long day with little to show for it. There had been a lot of those on this case, but Reddington was determined it was important. Liz was starting to think that this Fischer really was a ghost and Red was distracting them on purpose.

She opened the door to the apartment and saw Agnes bouncing away in her little movable bouncer down the hall in the living room. As she rounded the corner she saw the little girl's father perched on the couch, tablet in hand, and reading through something. He looked up after half a beat. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," she greeted back. "What do you have your nose buried in?"

"Howard's papers."

"Good or bad?"

"Interesting."

Liz dropped her purse on the table and reached to scoop Agnes up. She squealed happily as her mother pressed a playful kiss to one of her chubby cheeks. "How'd the trip to see Scottie go?"

Her husband sighed and she risked a glance back at him. "She still won't admit anything. It was like she was nervous that they were listening. I need to find out who her handlers are."

"You think that they might have access to the feeds?" Agnes started squirming and she put her down on the floor to crawl where she wanted to go.

A soft buzzing sound drew Tom's attention and he looked at his phone, glaring at it was Howard's name left his lips irritably and he hit what looked like _decline_. "Depends who they are. I need resources to find out though."

Her gaze drifted back to the tablet. "And you think your dad's old papers will help you do that?"

"Sort of," he answered, meeting her gaze. "He built Halcyon on a careful structure and he was vocal about a lot of it. I think you were at least partially right about why he set Scottie up. If he felt like he had to build that computer for whatever reason, I think he knew the Board wouldn't stand for it, so he did it behind their backs and pinned it on Scottie. Two birds, one stone."

"So what? You're going to go to the Board with it?"

"They're the only ones with enough power in the company to sideline Howard and give Nez, Dumont, and me what we need to find out what really happened."

"Why would they let you guys do it?" She held her hands up at the look she received. "I'm just saying, if this were the Bureau and the Task Force was trying to handle it, we'd be told we were too close. Won't they say the same? You'll need leverage."

"I have it. With Scottie in jail and Howard possibly unqualified to lead the company, technically I hold the majority shares."

Liz stood there for a long moment, processing what he meant. "Honey, you'd have to tell them who you are."

"Pretty sure I'd put that one together," he teased with a very small smile.

"I mean…. You could end up running Halcyon if they decided neither of them were fit in the end. Scottie and Howard both have had their faces plastered all over the news because of their positions in the company. If it comes out that Christopher Hargrave isn't dead and-"

"Yes, Liz, I'd figured it out," he said a little more tightly this time.

"I just want to make sure you've _really_ thought this through. This could end your career as a field operative."

There was a beat of silence then and he nodded slowly. "I know."

"And it's worth that?"

The quiet that followed the question was longer this time and she saw him struggling with it, everything in his expression saying it was something he'd been thinking about since he'd had the idea. It could change everything. If it was for the better or for the worse, she had no idea and he couldn't either. She knew he loved what he did and Halcyon provided him the perfect opportunity to do it, but if the truth meant giving that up….

Agnes let out a loud, irritated sound that she made when she wasn't getting the attention that she thought she deserved and Liz looked down to see she'd pulled herself up on the coffee table, her little face scrunched and determined and her eyes fixed on her daddy. Both parents watched as she let go, took a step towards him and put her arms out.

"Look at that," Tom managed, his smile creeping up on him. "Hey, baby girl, look at you! You want to try another one? Come see me?"

She did, managing another step and then another and he was up off the couch scooping her up before she tilted too far to her right to plop over. She giggled as he tossed her up and then held on tight. "That was amazing, Agnes."

Liz's own grin broke out just a little delayed. "And neither of us got it on camera," she laughed stepping over so she could join the mini celebration. "No warning, huh?" she teased Agnes.

"It's alright. We'll get the next one," Tom murmured and she saw him close his eyes, holding onto their little girl and Agnes clung to him in return, almost like she was trying to help the hurting to stop. Maybe she was.

After a long moment Liz saw dark blue eyes slide open. "Right now I think I have two options. I either need to try to walk away from Howard and Scottie and Halcyon for good or I need to jump in all the way and face what that could mean," he said slowly. "If I walk I have no idea what will happen to them. Maybe Scottie'll just spend the rest of her life in prison and Howard will keep running the company. They may not let me walk though. It's not like they'd have a lot of trouble finding me here." He took a careful seat. "If I don't, if I go in to the Board…. I'm risking Howard going to prison, maybe tipping off whoever Scottie's scared of, and…Scottie said that if I love the two of you, I'll drop this."

"Did she tell you why?"

"Not really. Just that I might lose you both again."

Liz pulled in a deep breath, letting the words sink in. They were up against the unknown, which always seemed to be the way. They had no one to trust but each other in it. As much as she knew the possible motives that Scottie and Howard had, she knew it was only a sliver. She couldn't blame Tom for not being able to trust them with so many secrets and so many unanswered questions. It was a struggle she knew well.

"You and I can protect Agnes," she said slowly, letting her eyes open and meeting Tom's gaze. "You and I _will_ protect Agnes. We'll protect each other. You don't have to tell them everything about Howard. They don't know what you've found."

Tom gave her a lopsided smile. "Look at you being sneaky."

She rolled her eyes and smirked a little at him. "You are well aware what I'm capable of."

"I am," he answered.

Liz reached down and picked Agnes up, moving to put her in her playpen. "There's no reason for you to worry about potentially putting another parent behind bars before you have the full story." She heard him snort a laugh as she straightened, turning back to him and catching his eye. "It boils down to one pretty big question: would you be willing to retire from working in the field?"

"I thought I was before, but…" He looked down, almost as if he was afraid she'd be upset with him for hesitating on it.

Liz padded across the room and took a seat on the couch with him, reaching out and taking a hand in her own. "It's what you know, and you're good at it. It'd be like me having to face taking a job like Cooper's with the FBI. At this point in my life, that would terrify me."

"I'm still walking away from it if I cut ties with Halcyon."

"That's true, but there'd be a chance to find a different route. It would leave your options open. I can't imagine Halcyon is the only company that legally employs operatives, right?"

"No." He tilted his head, narrowing his eyes just a little. "You're not making this easier, you know."

"There's nothing easy about this, except for this." She squeezed his hand in hers. "You don't have to make the decision tonight, and whatever decision you do make you have two people that are going to support you in it. Agnes and I are not going anywhere."

He nodded slowly and tighten his own grip on her. "Thank you."

Liz tried for a smile and she released his hand only so she could wrap her arms around him. The angle was a little awkward, but she felt him sink into the hug, his fingers holding onto one of her arms encircling him, and they held onto each other like that for a long moment. She couldn't fix this for him and she couldn't make the decision for him, but she could be there with him every step of the way and support him, just as he'd supported her.

After a long moment she felt him drag in a breath. "We still have all my research, right? On my disappearance."

"Yeah."

"And the DNA test?"

She knew that tone. "Yeah."

He leaned back and as she released him she found his gaze determined as he nodded. "I have to do this."

Liz leaned into him. "I know, babe. I know."

* * *

Notes: May I just say that if we don't don't get Agnes' first birthday AND we don't see Agnes' first steps in S5, I will be very disappointed.

Next time - Agent Gale causes a lot of trouble for the Keens.


	12. Making a Choice

**Chapter Twelve: Making a Choice**

It was everything he could do to ignore it. It just kept buzzing and buzzing and the caller on the other end couldn't seem to take the hint. The discussion was over. Done. He wouldn't be answering that day. There was too much at stake and he couldn't and wouldn't let himself be manipulated out of what he needed to do.

"You can't ignore him forever."

Tom shot his wife a glare that lacked the usual danger it would have had it been directed at anyone else. He knew that she had been trying to give him space to process everything that was happening, including how he was going to go about approaching the Board. She was in favour of letting them know only as much as he had to to have them give him the resources he needed to get to the bottom of everything. It wasn't that she was advocating for or against Howard, not really. She was nudging him to look at all the angles. He appreciated it. Really he did. Most of the time. He took his phone out of his pocket and hit _decline,_ his expression daring her to comment on it.

She rolled her eyes and reached around to shift the diaper bag that was dangling from her left shoulder. "He's trying to open up communication. I know that's not always your strong suit…"

He shoved his phone in his pocket, his now free hand returning to the stroller that held their snoozing child. "Wow, thanks, babe," he grumbled.

Liz loosed a sigh to his left and he felt her shift a little closer as they walked towards the park. "You know that I'm not saying you should trust him, but you might learn something new if you talked to him, kind of like you have with Scottie."

"I just… need time," he managed, his gaze firmly set on the concrete path in front of him. "Things are really delicate right now with the Board and everything. I have to be careful how I move forward. I'll only get one chance at this." He closed his eyes briefly, a sigh escaping. "He lied to me the whole time, Liz. He… I don't know. I mean, if he'd just come to me with it, I would have gotten it."

"Maybe," his wife murmured. "It's hard to say what you could have accepted and what you couldn't have. If you'd come to me in our first marriage I don't know if I could have just accepted it."

"Yeah? Because I seem to remember you demanding a few truths."

She elbowed him in the side. "You owed me that if I believed it or not."

He flashed her a grin, her words lighter than they might should have been. "I know," he acknowledged. "And now I tell you more than you ever wanted to know."

Liz snorted and shot him her own smile. "I'm well aware. You want a table or did you pack a blanket?"

And there was the signal that she was going to be willing to drop the subject for now. Tom felt a wave of relief rush through him. "You wanted a picnic. Pretty sure that requires a blanket."

He watched his wife roll her eyes again and grin, reaching down to scoop Agnes out of the stroller as he popped it over the curb to start for a relatively even patch of grass in the park for their planned picnic. They'd been talking about making a family trip out to the park for months, but between his investigation and Kate Kaplan killing herself to set things in motion with the suitcase of bones, things had just gotten too complicated. They had been determined that day, though. Agnes was only going to be young once, and they both were determined to give her as close to a normal life as possible.

Tom squatted down to grab the bag with all the picnic supplies in it from beneath the stroller, pulling back and looking up at the sound of Liz's startled voice. "What the hell is he doing here?"

He turned, squinting against the late morning sun. He could see a figure traipsing towards them, a badge hooked to his jacket and a pair of aviators covering his eyes. He had two men with him, both wearing FBI windbreakers.

"Agent Gale, whatever question or accusations you have for me can wait," Liz snapped as he drew closer. "I have the afternoon off and I'm with my family."

"Good thing I'm not here for you then, isn't it, Agent Keen?" He turned and his gaze fell on Tom who had stood, brushing his hands off against his jeans. "Thomas Keen? You're under arrest. Place your hands behind your back. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say-"

"Hey!" Liz snapped, shifting Agnes and stepping forward. "This is crazy, and bordering on harassment, Gale. Whatever you've come up with to hate me for, Tom has _nothing_ to do with it."

Gale wrenched Tom's arms back behind him hard enough to pull a grunt from him and he felt the cuffs click into place. He had to resist the urge to strike out at him, no matter how hard his fight or flight instincts were kicking in. Of all the times for this to happen, this could have been one of the worst. "While I'm sure _everything_ revolves around you, Agent Keen, I have an arrest warrant that says otherwise for your … husband? Are you two actually married? The paperwork was all kind of vague."

"Yeah, and I want to see the name on it that would issue a warrant to you for this." Liz growled and Agnes started to fuss, reaching out for her father.

"Careful, Agent Keen, or you'll be taking a trip to holding too."

Tom caught her gaze. "Liz, it's fine. Stop. Whatever they think they have, they don't." He offered Agnes a smile that usually could get a giggle out of her. "It's okay, baby girl. I'll be home by dinner, okay? We'll come back out tomorrow and feed the ducks? How does that sound?"

That didn't seem to sway the one year old and tears started to roll down her face as she reached her chubby little hand for her daddy, breaking his heart.

Gale jerked him hard, forcing him to straighten from where he'd been leaning down at eye level with his daughter. "I wouldn't bet on it, buddy. You're going away for a long time."

Tom shot Liz one more pleading look not to do anything they'd both regret before Gale shoved at him, starting him down the way and towards the vehicle they'd come in, Agnes' cries echoing behind them and Liz's expression leaving him with a sinking feeling as they shuffled him into the black SUV and shut the door.

* * *

She was going to kill Gale. She could handle him coming after her, but her family? That was unacceptable. He wouldn't have given Tom a second look if it hadn't been for his obsession with Reddington. He wanted Red, and to get to Red he was trying to get to her, and to get to her he was going after Tom.

Liz knew that Tom thought she'd go to Cooper. Maybe she should have, but she didn't want to put her team any further in the crosshairs than they had been already. The call had been made though, and it was a waiting game as the information was gathered. She'd gone home, Agnes impossible to console until she finally cried herself to sleep. Liz had just eased her into her crib when a knock came at the front door and she cringed.

Agnes stirred, but didn't wake and Liz tiptoed to the door and looked out to see Howard Hargrave through the peep hole. She opened it, her father in law offering her a grim smile as she motioned for him to come in. "They said they were arresting him on charges of espionage, evidence tampering, and murder," she told him as he moved past her. "What did you find?"

"Talk to me about Viktor Fokin," he said as she shut the door.

"Fokin?"

"That's the murder charge. The espionage and evidence tampering are linked to it. Apparently your Task Force has had him as a person of interest in the case before and ruled him out. Agent Gale is opening it back up with new evidence."

Liz cursed softly.

"Did he kill him?"

"Excuse me?" Liz snapped, her nerves raw.

Howard held his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not judging. I'm well aware what my son is capable of. I know enough about the St Regis program to know that it's very possible. I just need the facts before I go in."

Liz sighed. Tom was going to be pissed. "No, he didn't pull the trigger, but he was involved."

"Who pulled the trigger?"

"The woman we arrested for it: Gina Zanetakos."

Howard nodded thoughtfully. "And these passports that disappeared from evidence?"

"I got them for him… When his former handler was trying to kill him," Liz confessed softly. Great. Just perfect. Gale was trying to bring them both down and he'd picked a decent case to do it with. "Listen, I know you and he-"

Howard offered her one of his charming smiles. "It's alright, Liz. I'll have him out in no time. This… disagreement between us won't stop that."

She nodded slowly, turning her next words over carefully. "I don't know how much you know about Bill McCready. Tom's old handler with St Regis."

"I know who McCready is."

Liz pulled in a steadying breath. She'd watched Tom suffer through each new piece of evidence coming out and ripping a new whole in him along with reopening old wounds. This needed to be said, no matter how much her husband might protest it if he were there. "Tom won't admit it, but McCready was probably the closest thing to a father figure he had growing up. He took him in at fourteen and knew all the right things to say to manipulate him into doing exactly what he wanted him to do. He managed to instill some pretty twisted views in pretty deep and one of those…" She stopped, watching Howard watching her. "One of those is that he has to be useful for anyone to care about him, and the moment he's not they throw him away. He's gotten… better about it, but the idea is still there. I don't think it'll ever fully go away."

"Scottie didn't help that when she had him beaten to hell," Howard huffed.

"And neither did you by using him like you did."

Howard blinked owlishly at her. "I did what I had to to protect him. If he'd known about his mother going in, he'd have trusted her to be like him. I don't think I need to tell you how unique my son is. Just because he fell in love with you and was able to break away from his handler for you doesn't mean Scottie was. She's continued to choose her operation over our family since the day I married her. She may care about him, but it wasn't enough. You saw what she did to him."

"I hear you, but think about what Tom sees. He didn't know which one of you to trust going in and he _chose_ to trust you, and you betrayed that trust. You betrayed him. He thinks that's all you wanted from him. If it is, then you need to go back to New York now and I'll find another way to get him out."

Howard stared at her for a long moment before clearing his throat. "I'll have him home to you in a few hours. Thank you again for calling me, Liz."

She watched him leave without another word and sat down hard on the couch, not certain if she'd made things better or worse by contacting him.

* * *

He was cuffed to the table, which seemed a bit extreme for the fact that he'd been _mostly_ cooperative. Agent Gale didn't seem to like his answers a great deal, but surely he hadn't expected Tom to simply fold under pressure. The man was jittery, never stilling too long as he spoke. "You see, Mr Keen, I think that you were employed by Raymond Reddington. That he hired you to assassinate Viktor Fokin in 2012."

"Thinking it doesn't make it true," Tom answered easily and leaned forward. "I'll tell you the same thing I told the FBI four years ago: I got a call for a job interview in Boston. I went to Angel Station because that's where the man I thought was the headmaster for the school-"

"That's right," Gale cut him off. "A teaching position. Funny. You don't teach anymore do you, Mr Keen? Kind of like the end of yours and Agent Keen's first marriage, your current work status is vague at best and buried under more red tape than it should be. A consultant of some kind? Is that it?"

He leveled a cool look at him. "You seemed to think you know a lot more than you really do."

The agent moved quickly and leaned across the table, close enough that it would have made most people uncomfortable. "I know that your name is associated with more than a few of the files I've gotten my hands on from your _wife's_ cases with her Task Force. I know that you pop up again and again in files so redacted by the time they get to my desk that sometimes your name's not there at all, but it's you. I'd bet my last dollar it's you."

"You'd lose it then," Tom answered easily. He didn't know if he would or not, but he wouldn't flinch. Liz had told him enough about this man to know he walked a thin line and it was only a matter of time before he tilted off to one side or the other.

"I don't think I would. I think you have a trail of bodies behind you, Mr Keen. Maybe you even still work for Reddington. Is that how you met your wife? Reddington's assassin and his FBI agent on a leash? Some sort of warped little story there?"

Tom tilted his head and smirked. "You've got a very active imagination, Agent Gale. Anyone tell you that?"

A chuckle escaped the other man and he straightened, motioning at Tom as he spoke. "Okay then. Okay. Play it that way. You still think you're getting out of this, and you know, with anyone else you might have. All you're doing is making it harder for yourself in the long run."

There was a knock at the door and it opened, someone outside motioning for Gale's attention. Tom watched him step out, leaning just a little to get a view of what looked like a very, very irritated Julian Gale. He couldn't quite hear what the news was, but if he were to make a guess it was that Liz had called Cooper and that he was about to walk free. Dark blue eyes glanced up at the clock on the wall. 4:30 PM. He'd be home in time for dinner, just like he'd said.

After several long moments Gale returned. His expression was dark as he glared at the younger man and Tom didn't bother to hide his own smirk. "I'm sorry, Agent Gale. Something you wanted to tell me?"

"I don't know how you did it, you smug bastard. They may be cutting you loose, but this isn't over." He reached forward, uncuffing him.

Tom met his gaze. "Yes it is. I don't know what sort of obsession you have with my wife, but it's done." He stood, flexing his stiff wrists a little. "Don't come anywhere near my family again."

"You threatening me, Keen?"

He shot him a look before starting for the door.

Ten minutes later he'd retrieved his phone, wallet, and keys in record time and was escorted towards the lobby to leave. He had thought there would be a chance that Liz would be waiting on him, but he hadn't expected Howard Hargrave. The realization hit like a blow to the face. Liz hadn't called Cooper.

His father was speaking to a man dressed in a suit and looked like the upper ranks of the FBI rather than a field agent. Howard motioned to where Tom has paused, not missing his exit, and shook the other man's hand, moving towards him. "I don't think they'll be making _that_ mistake again," Howard chuckled as he clapped a hand on his son's shoulder like nothing had happened between them.

"This changes nothing," Tom growled lowly.

"Not here," Howard warned.

The two men exited the FBI building silently with the exception of the occasional wave Howard gave on the way out, showing just how well connected he was, if the release on his day-so hadn't been enough.

Tom felt an irrational surge of irritation at the sight of the town car waiting for them. "I'll grab a cab," he muttered, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"I wish you wouldn't. We need to talk, son."

"I don't have anything else to say, Howard. I said it all, and you said enough."

"You didn't give me time to say much of anything," Howard pointed out tightly, but then stopped, pulling in a deep breath as if he were trying to steady himself. "Please, Tom. Give me the drive to your apartment. If at the end of it you feel the same way, you can get out and…" He paused, his expression strained. "I'll never reach out to you again. You can go on with your life and I will make sure that nothing connected to me or your mother touches you or your family ever again. Please, just one chance."

Tom squeezed his eyes closed, a sharp breath leaving him. "Fine."

He followed Howard to the town car and slipped into the back with him. Silence filled it as the driver started forward.

"I know you're going to the Board," Howard said after a long moment.

"If you're going to try to talk me out of it-"

"No. I was. Or hoped you'd change your mind somewhere along the way, but… I think you should. Go to them."

Tom blinked owlishly. "Why?"

His father loosed a long breath. "Because there's a chance I'm too close to this."

The confession hadn't been what Tom was expecting.

"Your mother lied to me for years. She entered my life to spy on me. Finding that out after so long shook my understanding of everything I thought I knew about her, but you… I worried you'd give her the undue benefit of the doubt because of your own history with Liz."

"I just want to know the truth." The words rode out on a breath, barely whispered, and Tom saw a smile tilt Howard's lips at the corners.

"You're a good man, if you believe that yourself or not. You've got a better heart than anyone that's gone through what you have has a right to. I'll be stepping down as CEO of Halcyon, at least until your investigation into your mother is complete. The Board will give you temporary control. The DNA test will prove who you are and with your mother and I both unable to act as CEO, you'll be the majority shareholder. They'll watch your every move, but you'll have the resources you need and I won't…. get in your way."

Tom let the words sink in, the city passing them by outside the car's window. Howard might not think that Scottie cared about them, but he was willing to step aside and let Tom find out. "What changed your mind?"

"I lied to you. I did what I thought was best in the situation, but… I didn't consider everything. I didn't think-"

"Didn't think I'd find out?" Tom snapped.

"I didn't think you'd mistake it for a sign that I don't love you just as much now as I did when you were a child. I didn't consider everything you've been through."

Tom leaned back in the seat, turning to look out his own window as his mind raced. He didn't know what Liz had said. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but something had struck a nerve in Howard and changed his tune. What he was saying made sense, but it didn't explain everything. "That doesn't explain the photos. You knew where I was. Why did it take you so long?"

"A little under a year and a half ago you were shot and taken to the hospital. My man that had been tracking you wanted to be sure before he reached out. He'd been wrong before." The car pulled around and came to a stop outside of the Keens' apartment building, but Tom didn't budge. "He ran the DNA and it matched. I was out of pocket for several months at that point, overseeing an operation, and by the time he got the information to me I was starting to find evidence that Scottie wasn't who I thought she was. That's the truth, son. If I'd been home when you were injured, this might have all turned out very differently."

There was a long stretch of silence between them as Tom let the words sink in. Timing. It was a simple answer, one that he might have given if the younger man had given him the chance to when he'd shown up unannounced, but he didn't think he'd have believed it then. Now, sitting in the back of the car outside his own home with the sun sinking lower in the sky outside and what sounded like the truth put out into the open, the simple answer rang true. It still hurt, but it rang true. "No way to change the past," Tom murmured and finally turned back towards him. "All we can do is change the future."

"That's what I'm trying to do, son. If it's between you and locking Scottie away for what she did, I'd rather choose you."

Tom swallowed hard and gave a small nod. "We'll talk to the Board together. Make sure no one's going to send you off to prison too."

He made a small sound of acknowledgement. "I appreciate that. The lawyers will likely be in touch tomorrow about everything, just to wrap things up and make sure Agent Gale stays away from you."

"Okay." He turned, pausing with his fingers wrapped around the door handle. "Thank you. For coming for me."

He heard Howard give a soft chuckle. "Always."

* * *

The front door unlocked and Liz startled from her dozing state on the couch. "Tom?" she called, halfway to her feet as she heard the door close behind him. She rounded the corner from the couch so that she could see down the hall and she paused. He looked worn and tired and she waited. It had been a dangerous gamble to call Howard and one he might not have the energy to forgive her for right away. He would, given time. He always did.

"Hey," he said thinly.

"Hey. How'd it go?"

He nodded, tossing his keys into the bowl and running a hand through his hair, standing it on end more than it already was. "Dropped the charges. Howard said the lawyers would be in touch."

Liz reached out, the movement a little hesitant. "I'm sorry."

"For what? The fact that Julian Gale arrested me or that you went to my father to have him get me out?"

She winced at the tone and watched as he ghosted past her towards the kitchen, going for a bottle of water. "Gale," she said after a long moment, her voice firm. "I'm not going to apologize for doing what I needed to to get you out."

Tom turned and leaned against the counter and she watched the tiniest movements of his expression as he thought his next words over very carefully. She let him have the distance between them, trying not to add to the pressure, but she wasn't going to back down either. She'd done what she had to. He wouldn't have done any differently in her shoes and if he gave himself half a chance to think about it he'd see that.

If he didn't, this could turn into one hell of a fight with as raw as his nerves had been lately.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, unscrewing the cap to the water bottle. "I don't know how I feel about it yet," he said slowly, working through the words with care. "He gave me a ride home and we talked."

"Yeah?" she prompted, inching forward. He didn't move away so she leaned, half seated against the breakfast table to listen.

"He's stepping down."

"From Halcyon?"

"Yeah. He already knew I was going to go to the Board and he said he'd step down and out of the way." He took a long drink from the water bottle. Finally he looked over. "He said if he had to make a choice he was choosing me. Do I even want to know what you said to him?"

"Probably not," she murmured with a hint of a smile, and after a moment she saw him trying to echo the expression. She reached out a hand, palm upward, and wait half a beat until he took a step forward to take it. She pulled him a little closer and stood straight so that she could wrap her arms around his middle, her cheek pressed against his chest, listening to the steady sound of his heart, and she focused in on the way he held onto her. "I know this wasn't the solution you would have wanted to go with, but Howard could have walked. It probably would have been easier for him to."

"You really want to believe he loves me, don't you?"

"I do."

"Why?"

The question made her pause and she leaned back just a little, her husband's arms still locked around her shoulders and hers around his middle, but she looked at him. "Because…. I know how hard it is for you to accept that someone can love you just for you," she said softly.

A laugh escaped on a breath and he shook his head, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I love you."

"I love you too," she promised. It was an emotional roller coaster that she knew well and trying to decipher what a man like Howard - or Reddington - really wanted in the end was nearly impossible. There were signs though. Little things, like when they went against their own selfish instincts for the child that they had once loved. It was enough to make her think that, despite everything they had become to survive in the world and every mistake that made those same children question them time and time again, there was still a chance for them. Words meant nothing in their world. Anyone could string together a few pretty words to make someone believe what they wanted. It was action that mattered, and that day Howard had made a choice to take action for Tom. If he would stand by his promise, only time would tell, but that choice meant something. For the man that she loved that was struggling with emotional wounds re-opening after so long, it had to mean something.

* * *

Notes: Sorry for the delay on this! I hope everyone stateside had a great and safe Independence Day weekend this past weekend. I've been kind of all over the place, so it took a little longer to write ahead enough I was comfortable posting the next chapter. Here it is though! And with Agent Gale, no less. I'm going to miss him next season... really sad they chose not to bring him back.

Next time - Tom and Howard meet with the Halcyon Aegis Board while Liz confronts Red.


	13. Cards on the Table

**Chapter Thirteen: Cards on the Table**

Liz had offered to go with him, and while her support would mean everything to him that day, he knew how busy she'd been chasing down the latest Blacklister Reddington had given them. It was a forger, one Tom didn't know off hand, but he would be very difficult to catch if he was half as good as Red had described him. She needed to be there, and the fact that she'd offered to come had meant more than she knew.

The doors to the lift opened, emptying him onto the executive floor where Nez Rowan was seated in a chair outside of his father's office. "Hey. You clean up nice," she offered, motioning to the suit.

"I've played the role before, but never thought I'd be doing it for real."

"What time's the meeting?"

"Not sure. Sometime this afternoon. We're going to go over all the last minute details this morning."

She offered him a knowing smile and stood. "Listen, I'm glad Howard came around-"

"We'll see," Tom answered noncommittally. He wasn't ready to hang all of his hopes on the fact Howard had chosen to side with him on this after he'd realized that there was no stopping Tom. He might have chosen to do it because he was choosing his son, but this also might be damage control.

"-but I'm still not convinced there's not a third party, and if there is you're putting a target on yourself by telling these guys who you are."

"I've been looking over the reports. These two have been undermining each other for years, but I don't see anything yet that convinces me that any of Scottie's handlers are here. Not in any place of power anyway. Howard never would have been reinstated if they were."

"Maybe, but we still don't know who really sabotaged Howard's plane. Is it worth the risk?"

"It's going to have to be. We don't have much of a choice right now."

"Mr Keen, Mr Hargrave is expecting you," Tanya called from the door.

"Just… be careful. It's a whole different type of dangerous."

"Careful, Rowan, or I might think you were worried."

She smirked at him. "You've grown on me."

"Nez, you have any last minute additions?"

Both operatives turned to see Howard standing at the office entrance and Tom shot Nez a look. She returned it with a shrug. "No sir. Good luck, Tom," she offered as she started towards the elevator.

"No, she wasn't my source about you going to the Board," Howard said as Tom turned back around. "I've known she was checking into things for a while. If you're going to pick two people out of this company to earn the loyalty of, Nez and Dumont are the ones." He motioned and the younger man followed him into the office, the door closing behind them. "I was starting to wonder if you owned a suit."

"Thought I might want to show up in something other than a t-shirt and jeans," Tom answered as he followed. "What time did you set the meeting for and how much did you tell them?"

"Four o'clock and I told them to be there."

There was a flash of mischief in those blue eyes and Tom smirked despite himself as he shook his head. "You know there's a chance they won't let us handle this internally, right?"

"These things are all politics, but yes. There is that possibility."

"And you're still okay with it?"

"No. I think I did what needed to be done. What I'm doing today I'm doing it for you, son."

Tom nodded, not trusting his voice in that moment. He swallowed hard. "Nez thinks there might be someone higher up that Scottie answers to."

"I imagine so. Your mother is a strategist, but even she can't pull this off alone." He paused, looking like he was playing something over in his mind. "Tom, something you should know going in. Reddington came to my home the same night that you did. He was looking for something that he said you took from him. A suitcase."

"Thought you weren't buddies with Reddington," Tom said pointedly.

His father lifted an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware I'd clarified my relationship with him." Tom snorted and Howard continued. "He wanted me to tell him where you'd stored it away."

"And did you?"

"I didn't know. I also don't like being threatened."

Tom tilted his head a little to the side. "What did he threaten you with?"

"Taking out a key forger that we use for our black ops. Marcus Fischer."

"Fischer. That's-"

"Mm. I'm well aware. I've been biding my time with Reddington just as much as he's been biding his time with me on it. His resources aren't what they used to be, so I had a bit more room to move without setting off too many of his alarm bells. I was on the phone with your wife just before you came in. I think we've found a way that both the FBI and Halcyon can come through this without too much hurt and -" he caught Tom's gaze, holding it - "allowing you to find the answers your wife deserves to know."

"Howard, if you're trying to buy something from me on this-"

"Funny, Liz said the same thing, but no." He pulled in a deep breath and reached out, his hand hovering just shy of Tom's arm. "You're my son. No matter how… complicated this gets, you will never owe me anything."

Tom stared at him for a long moment, wondering what on earth Liz had said to spark the more open approach he was trying to take. He was wading through it, as if honesty weren't something he was entirely comfortable with, but he was trying, and Tom had to give him that. Slowly he nodded. "Thanks."

A smile perked the older man's lips. "You're welcome." His gaze drifted over to the door and Tom followed it, finding a woman making her way in. She was dressed in a suit, perfectly pressed, and had an armful of documents with her. "Maggie, good to see you. Thanks for coming."

"Never a dull moment for legal counsel in Halcyon Aegis," the woman answered and her sharp grey eyes turned to Tom, looking him up and down. "I'll be damned."

"Tom, Maggie Ellis. She's head of legal."

"I'd seen your name pop up quite a bit in the last few months, but I had no idea."

"I take it you told her?" Tom asked after a moment, resisting the urge to fidget under her intense gaze. Instead he shoved his hands in his slack pockets and turned to Howard.

"I want to make sure to cover all of our bases."

"Legally, you're dead, Mr Hargrave," Ellis said and it took Tom a moment to realize that he was talking to him.

"It's Tom. Keen. I haven't been Christopher Hargrave in a lot of years, and yeah, Scottie mentioned something about signing a death certificate."

The lawyer nodded. "Of all the complications this presents, reversing the death certificate may be one of the least of them. We'll set a meeting with a judge to legally reverse it. I have a DNA test that our teams ran, though there are a lot of holes in what happened to you."

"For you and me both," Tom answered. "I'm hoping that this investigation is going to turn up some answers."

"Maybe more than anyone likes," Ellis murmured, looking over at Howard. "I've been looking over your statement. You'll be open to legal action for manipulating those financial records and hiding the fact."

"A point you've already made," Howard answered. "I'll take what comes, but Tom will have the legal right to the company."

"He'll be the majority shareholder, but I wouldn't expect a warm welcome."

"I just need time to get to the bottom of this," Tom said firmly.

"And resources. If you do get to the bottom of everything, there's a better than even chance they'll expect you to take on the company."

"One thing at a time, Maggie," Howard said calmly. "Now, we have a few hours. Let's get this to the best place we can get it before meeting with the Board."

* * *

"I spoke to Agent Navabi and she said you'd had a break in the Fischer case," Reddington said as she pushed through the shop door, the bell announcing her entrance.

He was focused on the hat he was inspecting and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Broke it wide open."

"So Fischer is in custody."

"No."

That caught Reddington's attention and he turned to look at Liz who held his gaze, her chin tilted up just a little. "I got a call from my father-in-law this morning. He had some very interesting information."

"Howard Hargrave usually does," Reddington answered noncommittally as he turned to study the hat a bit closer.

The curtain to the back room shifted and the shop owner came through. Liz motioned at him as she came to stand next to Red. "You don't want to be out here right now," she warned, her voice not quite dangerous, but he seemed to get the hint as he scampered into the back.

"Something on your mind?"

"We're well aware that the cases that we take on benefit you, Reddington. Some of them are more obvious than others, but each and every one of them helps you in some way."

"Of course they do, Elizabeth, but I give as much as I take. Your task force has quite the arrest record with the Bureau."

She ignored him and continued. "This one… I assumed that Fischer was one of your competitor's forger or that he employed a forger that your competitor used. I thought it had to do with rebuilding your business. What I didn't expect was that you were using us to help blackmail Howard Hargrave into giving up the location of the lab working to identify the bones Kaplan left me."

She watched him carefully, and while his mask of calm fit snugly over his features she could see the slightest twitch just next to his left eye that showed she'd struck the nerve she'd meant to hit. "Tom told you."

"Of course Tom told me," Liz snapped, her voice exasperated, "but I was hoping you would too, even if it was only because it would be a matter of time before I found out. I still would have preferred hearing it from _you_ , but instead you went so far out of you way to keep hiding the truth from me that you've had us chasing a ghost of a Blacklister and dangling just enough that we'd almost catch him before he got away to help bully Howard into betraying his son."

"Howard doesn't need help to betray his son," Reddington huffed.

Liz felt her blood boil and she grabbed the hat from his hand, pulling his gaze around to her as she spoke in low, threatening tones. "Don't you dare. Howard may have been backed into a corner, but at least he had the decency to come clean. You wouldn't even do that."

"It was a strategic move to manipulate-"

"I guess you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"

Reddington's mouth snapped shut with those words and Liz held her ground, setting the fedora down hard on the counter just out of his reach like she would have a toy she'd taken from Agnes when she was in trouble.

Liz closed her eyes, gathering herself. "Howard reached out to me this morning and already had the deal in place. I met with Marcus Fischer, and while we do not get him, we are getting seven wanted criminals that he's helped escape. On a silver platter. Halcyon keeps their forger, the FBI gets to lock away criminals, and you, Reddington, will not find that suitcase. You're not going to take this from me. Whatever Kate left, she left for me."

"She had no right."

"She seemed to be the only one willing to tell me anything, so excuse me if I disagree."

Reddington pulled in a deep breath, shaking his head and he finally turned fully towards her. His shoulders went back and he pulled himself up to his full height, those piercing blue eyes fixed on her from behind his aviators. "I've told you before that there are many enemies, Elizabeth. Katarina had many enemies and they've become yours. As I've also told you, I will always do whatever I think is necessary to protect you. Stay away from this."

"I'm not a child. You get that right?"

"I'm well aware."

"Then stop treating me like one. I meant what I said when I told you that I don't want or need space from you. I know who you are and I know how dangerous that can be. I'm aware of that and I accept it because I trust you."

"Elizabeth-"

"But this can't be a one way street, Reddington. Not anymore. I need your trust in return. I need you to trust me to do what's right for me and for my family and for my team. I need you to trust me that I won't run at the first sight of trouble."

"I do trust you."

"Then start acting like it. Who do the bones belong to, Reddington?"

"I can't tell you that."

She stared at him, wondering if he ever realized just what he sounded like. Finally she shook her head and gave him a thin smile. "Okay. Fine. We'll do this the hard way." She turned to start out the door, part of her wishing he'd stop her. She wanted him to prove that he respected her more than he feared losing her. She knew their relationship was complicated and that the truth was likely even more so, but she needed his honesty. She deserved it, and that was one thing she wouldn't back down on.

* * *

They had gotten there a few minutes early and found the Board room only half full. Men and women in suits sat around chattering with each other and Tom found himself watching their movements and expression, deeply ingrained habits ready to echo what he needed to to put them at ease.

"Keen, wasn't it?"

Tom turned, finding a vaguely familiar smile and an outstretched hand. "Albert McKinney. We met in Howard's office the other day. You're heading up investigation into Ms Carlson's murder, aren't you?"

"I am."

"Must be a hell of a find if Howard brought us all here for the announcement."

"The investigation's expanded," Tom answered carefully, glancing over to where Howard was chatting with another board member. Maggie Ellis leaned in to whisper something in his ear and Howard motioned for his son to join him towards the front of the room. Tom offered a brief nod before moving to take a seat to Howard's right.

"No turning back after this," Howard said quietly.

"For you or me," Tom acknowledged.

The older man quirked one eyebrow up and stood, gaining the room's attention. Those still lingering at the door took their seats and Howard flashed a charming smile. "Thank you, everyone, for clearing your schedules. Halcyon Aegis has undergone some upheaval recently, but as the company's leadership, it's our job to do the best we can with what we're presented with. That is what I'm here today to do. What is discussed today remains in this room. Any exceptions to that will pass through our legal department. If anyone is uncomfortable with this, you're welcome to leave now." He paused, but no one stirred. After a moment he cleared his throat to continue. "I've known many of you for years. Some of you have been around long enough to remember my son Christopher. Those that haven't, I know you're aware what happened to him. He was taken. It was my search for my son that led me to the first hints of my wife's long-running deception, which eventually led her to the jail cell she now sits in."

Tom's gaze swept the crowd and he saw confused but curious looks as to the point of the story.

"I've been determined to prove what I've known to be true, but in that determination it's been brought to my attention that I may not be the best one to lead that investigation. Tom Keen and Nez Rowan have been leading the investigation into the murder of one of our own and have confirmed the man responsible for her death to be Daniel Pool. Pool was an operative in my employ that was inserted where he was to gain information about Scottie's intentions with Whitehall and her attempt on my life. While his objective was intelligence gathering and _never_ to harm anyone, this has happened on my watch and I feel it's necessary to take a step back as CEO of Halcyon until this investigation has been completed in full. Tom has been leading the investigation. He can continue to do so under the Board's authority."

"That's a grand gesture, Howard, but with Scottie in jail that leaves the company in a very precarious place," McKinney said from his place. "The PR would be-"

"So we handle it internally until everything's out in the open," Tom said and suddenly all eyes were on him.

"You came in as Howard's man on the inside to investigate Scottie," another member piped up. "What makes you unbiased?"

"Because it affects me either way."

"With Scottie indisposed and Howard stepping down, Tom remains the majority shareholder," Maggie Ellis said.

McKinney wasn't the only one who looked confused by the lawyer's statement. "An operative that's been in the ranks for a few months? How so?"

"Because he's my son," Howard answered.

Tom straightened a little in his seat and Howard opened the packet in front of him. "I've been looking for nearly thirty years and I found him. The DNA test has been done and-"

"Listen," Tom said, noting the uncertainty sweeping through the room, "I know you don't know me. Most of you have never met me, but Howard approached me several months ago and asked me to go undercover in Halcyon because he thought Scottie had tried to kill him. I took time away from my own wife and little girl to try to get to the truth. He hasn't been above board on this whole thing with you or with me, but I'm in deep in all this now. There's evidence that we've uncovered that does show that Scottie was working for someone. She has a handler or an organisation she's working for. Until we know who that is, until we know what the purpose of it was, just tossing her in prison isn't going to do anything other than put a bandaid on the situation. I want to get to the truth of this."

Board members leaned in, hushed whispers exchanged between them, and Tom risked a glance over at Howard. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, because he shouldn't be looking to him for reassurance. As quiet conversation happened all around him - about him - Tom wondered if this was part of the struggle Liz regularly found herself in with Reddington. She would be tying up her case that afternoon. A case that's sole purpose had been to manipulate Howard into giving away evidence that Reddington wanted to keep from Liz to keep her from some truth. It was a constant roller coaster of trust and tricks and half truths and agendas. He'd lived that life before, but the difference was he'd never expected or hoped for a great deal more from Bud. Maybe he'd hoped that his mentor wouldn't be as eager to put a bullet in his head as he had been, but there was something different about this. He didn't know if it was the blood tie or something else. He wanted to trust Howard despite everything saying he shouldn't.

"We'll need to see the evidence you've gathered so far," Albert McKinney said, breaking Tom from his thoughts. "Give us twenty- four hours and we'll have a proposal for you."

Tom nodded and stood, he and Howard moving out of the boardroom. "I'm going to catch a flight home. I have a feeling it's going to be a while before-"

"Tom." Howard all but dragged him over to the side, glancing at the boardroom. "You and I both know there's a possibility that I'll be behind bars when they're through looking at all of that. I can't help you from jail."

"Help me with what? The whole point of this is to have some space so that I can do my job."

"I know, but this is personal. The most personal piece of it all."

"What are you talking about?"

"I haven't been entirely honest with you-"

"Also the point of the meeting we just had."

"-but I want to be. I can be. It's why I called Liz to tip her off this morning and it's why I'm not fighting you on this."

He was working himself up and Tom forced his voice to remain calm. "Okay, Dad. What do you need to tell me?"

"Of all the things your mother did, all the lies that she told, there's one that I could never forgive her for. One I… can't forgive myself for. She told me, in a way. She said she was responsible, but I thought she was blaming herself. I didn't know what she was."

"Blaming herself for what?"

Howard drew a deep breath. "Your kidnapping."

A chill swept through him as his father held his gaze, and Tom reached forward, his fingers latching onto Howard's coat. "Do you know who took me?"

He nodded slowly, and Tom was pretty sure the guilt and the pain was genuine. "Your mother is responsible."

* * *

Notes: Oh, Red. Just tell her the truth. lol

So, we're swinging back into Redemption mode here and will be for a while. I tend to write several chapters ahead (3-4 usually) and I just wrote what I realized is my first Scottie POV scene for this story. It actually helped me break through some writer's block. Apparently Scottie's good fro that. Who knew?

Next time - Tom, Liz, and Howard visit Ocean City to try to recover some of Tom's missing childhood memories and the Board makes their decision.


	14. Echoes of the Past

**Chapter Fourteen: Echoes from the Past**

They had a twenty-four hour reprieve before the Board made their decision and Tom and Howard had elected to use that time digging into Tom's disappearance as a child. The decision to go out to Ocean City had surprised Liz, but she had made sure to wrap up the pile of paperwork involved in their deal with Halcyon before she'd left the Post Office that night so that she could get up at the break of dawn and drive out to the Maryland beach the next morning.

Clouds had been building as she drove, but they looked ready to break open by the time she pulled up to the address Tom had texted her with. She stepped out of the the car, gaze sweeping the little street. Many of the houses looked lived in, but considering these were the busier beach months it was hard to say if that was normal. An elderly woman with a dog was out on her front lawn and gave a friendly wave that Liz returned slowly.

The front porch was screened in and she found that door unlocked, but she paused when she reached the front door, unsure if she should knock or walk in. She hesitated there a moment before she heard something behind her and turned, seeing a car pull up along the curb at the street, parking behind her own. Tom unfolded out of the driver's seat and Howard out of the passenger, and Liz pushed back out through the screen door to meet them on the sidewalk. "I see Tom got to make the call on the rent car," she teased, motioning to the Mustang they had driven up in.

Her husband tried for a smile, but as she moved closer she saw all the signs that he hadn't slept at all the night before. He looked tired and stressed, physically and emotionally, and she reached out so that her fingertips brushed his. He took her hand immediately and gave it a squeeze. "Thanks for coming. Always the bad timing, right?"

She tightened her grip. "Don't worry about that. You guys are on a time crunch. What do we have?"

"We spent the better part of last night pouring over police reports and articles and information that my own investigations turned up," Howard explained. "Nothing has jogged any memories of that night."

"Trauma, especially in children, has a way of burying itself deep," Liz murmured. "This is the house? Do you think it'll spark something?"

"We're going to see," Tom answered.

"I know you guys have probably gone over it in detail, but walk me through what you know from that night, Howard."

They made their way up to the house and Liz's father-in-law pulled a key from his pocket as he spoke. "We spent every summer out here. Longer once Chris - Tom," he corrected, "- was born. It was our time away as a family. We'd been out a couple of weeks by that point and I don't remember exactly what set it off, but Scottie and I ended up in a shouting match late that night."

Liz risked a glance at Tom as they stepped into the old house and Howard reached to switch the lights on. Tom stood frozen, looking over his surroundings carefully, but she couldn't tell if he recognised anything or not.

"We'd both probably had too much to drink and I stormed out. Ended up spending the night at a motel down by the pier. I came back late the next morning and the whole house was crawling with police and Scottie…" He swallowed hard, his gaze distant as if the memories were vivid enough to see play out in front of him. "She said our boy had been taken in the night. No forced entry, no real sign of struggle. He was just gone. She blamed herself, and at the time I thought she was a grieving mother taking on more than she was responsible for."

"And now?" Tom asked.

"Now I believe it was a long game. If she was ordered or if it was her choice, I don't know yet, but I think that she set this all into motion. She took you, set herself up as a victim to be protected - especially after the car wreck - and pushed everything that's happened into motion. She's a strategist. A talented one. To try to deny that would set us up for failure from the start."

"But to predict all of this?" Liz asked, disbelief colouring her voice.

"It's the ripple effect," Tom answered with a shrug. "You go into the scenario with a catalyst to set of a chain reaction of events. You may not know the exact ramifications, but if you know the mark well enough, if you're good enough, it's possible."

"You sound like you've used it before," Liz murmured and her husband shrugged.

"I have. Plenty of times, but never on this scale. It's… if she did, she really is the best I've ever seen."

"Take a look around, son," Howard prompted. "If you can remember that night - anything about that night - it can help us piece things together."

"How close is it to the original setup?" Liz asked.

"Exactly. All the furniture is in the same place, all the same. Nothing's been moved."

"How is that possible? Did they stop renting it out?"

"I bought it after the police finished their investigation. David that rented it to us each summer was never going to get it back out there after the publicity and I wanted to conduct my own investigation, so I bought the home. It's ironic. Scottie had been trying to talk me into making an offer on it for years."

Tom started forward, his expression unreadable as he looked over the living room in detail. Liz started to follow, but Howard caught her by the arm, holding lightly. "Give him a few minutes."

She froze where he was. If it was her, if she was wandering through the house where the fire had happened and trying to recall that horrific night, she wasn't sure she would want to do it alone. Tom was focused though, and she wasn't sure that he'd notice if she was there or not.

Liz stood back, watching and waiting. If he needed her, she'd only be steps away.

* * *

There was something familiar, yet not about the house. It reminded him of his nightmares with the memories just out of his grasp. He reached for them, trying to grab on, but they slipped away.

Tom moved through the house room by room, trying to hold onto the possibility of a memory. He was vaguely aware that Liz and Howard were following at a distance, hoping for something he wasn't sure he could give.

He wound back through the hall past master bedroom, an office, and the kitchen with its door that led out towards the beach. There was one room in the back and he pushed at the door that was halfway closed.

It was a child's room. His room, he thought, and he paused at the door. It was exactly how the script that Lucy Game had been given described, not one thing out of place. The bed was pushed up against the far wall, the blue comforter showing signs of age after nearly thirty years, a couple of stuffed animals still piled on it. The bed ran parallel to the wall with double windows that, if the curtains were pulled back, would show the ocean not too far away. A rug covered part of the wood floor, starting under the bed and stretching toward the opposite wall where shelves held toys that a four-year-old little boy would have treasured.

Toy cars, dinosaurs, and a single red tug boat that caught his attention were on the lowest shelf, which would have been the easiest for him to reach at that age. He reached out, picking up the boat and turning it over in his hands, a ghost of a memory taunting him.

"Do you remember where you got that?"

Tom turned, finding Howard at the door. "It's familiar," he murmured, studying it and trying to will the memory into place. He closed his eyes, focusing on it, and he could almost see a pair of hands that held it, handing it to him and the excitement over, but he couldn't recall the face.

He loosed a frustrated breath and moved to take a seat on the bed. Soft footsteps followed him and Liz sat with him. She didn't say anything, but her presence helped. She looped her arm through his and leaned in.

"Your nightmare," she said after a long stretch of silence. "You told me that it's usually the same man trying to push you under the water. Do you ever see part of the house or anything that might be familiar?"

"It's just the beach," Tom answered reluctantly, but then sat up a little straighter. "There was a door."

"What?"

He didn't wait to explain, but stood and Howard barely shifted out of his way as he rushed out of the room. Liz was right. The nightmare was the closest thing to a memory that he had. If he could prove it true or untrue maybe it'd break the memories open like a crack in glass.

Tom barely stopped long enough to unlock the back door that led out to the beach. The sky has darkened considerably since they'd been inside and he felt rain splash down against his skin as he picked up his pace, something that he couldn't pinpoint driving him forward. It was an adrenaline rush, like the feeling of fight or flight had been kicked into overdrive. His breath was coming to him in short gasps by the time stopped on the beach, the water lapping over his boots and soaking his jeans around his ankles. He was shaking, flashes of memories mixing in with what he saw as he stood there.

He'd been asleep.

There'd been someone that came into his room. He couldn't remember the face, but he remembered not being afraid of him. The man had scooped him up, and the next thing Tom thought he remembered was taking off across the sand and being run down at the waves, his face shoved under the water and held there. He had no idea how long he'd struggled or what more there was to it, but he'd tried to get away and the man had nearly drowned him to stop him.

"Tom?"

He stiffened at the sound of his name and turned. His expression must have been something close to terrified because Liz was reaching out very slowly and very carefully, making sure not to touch him before he saw what she was doing. "Honey, are you okay?"

He wasn't sure when the scattered rain drops had turned into something more, but they were both drenched as they stood on the beach and he shook his head. "No," he answered, the word riding out on a breath.

Liz stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him and he folded in. "I tried to get away and he nearly drowned me," he whispered after a long moment.

"Who, babe?"

"I don't know."

He heard her make a soft sound. "Remind me never to tease you again about not being able to swim, okay?"

That pulled the barest of laughs from him and he made a small sound of agreement.

"Tom?"

"Yeah?"

"We should get back inside."

He nodded, not trusting his voice, and Liz shifted so that one arm was still around his back as they walked towards the house in the pouring rain.

* * *

Howard liked puzzles. He enjoyed solving them. All those little pieces that looked so disconnected coming together as a whole gave him a sense of satisfaction. The more challenging the puzzle, the more he enjoyed it once he reached the end.

The puzzle of what had happened to his son that terrible night that he had disappeared had been one that he'd worked worked over in his mind for years now, but there had been key pieces missing.

One of those pieces had been Tom. He had needed him to remember who took him. He had hoped he could remember. That could have led to Scottie's handlers. Howard was certain that there were others somewhere within his organisation and until he found them, none of them would be safe and Scottie's people would win.

It had seemed so important that he remembered until Howard had seen his son - grown now, and no longer that helpless little boy - standing in the rain, memories that had been deeply buried slamming into him with a force that looked like it could have knocked him over. Howard had known this could be painful. He knew it likely would be. He had expected that and accepted that. This, somehow, seemed to be where he was finding his line.

Maybe it was the house. Maybe it was everything they were up against. Or maybe it was that terrified look in Tom's eyes that didn't fade once Liz had gotten him in. Howard couldn't be sure. All he knew was that they were running out of time and if they arrested him, he wasn't sure how he was going to help Tom get through this alive.

They'd taken him from his father once. He wasn't going to let go again. Not if he could help it.

Howard looked up at the sound of the old wooden floors creaking under feet and Elizabeth Keen rounded the corner, still towelling her hair off from the shower that she and Tom had hopped into after getting caught in the pouring rain. Apparently his daughter-in-law was as well acquainted with a go bag with extra clothes as his son was. "How is he?" Howard ventured.

Liz sighed, taking a heavy seat in a chair across from him. "Confused, upset, frustrated. Not remembering is bad enough, but remembering the worst of it is even worse."

"Hm," Howard hummed softly, his gaze turning back to the rain. "May I ask you something, Liz?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "I won't promise you'll like the answer, but sure."

"Did I do him more harm than good by coming back into his life?"

Liz was quiet for long enough that Howard glanced her direction. He found her expression thoughtful. "Tom's stubborn. He knew about you before you came to him. He just… got this idea stuck in his mind that he couldn't look for answers without it somehow replacing Agnes and me. I'm not even sure where he got that one, but he held onto it pretty tight. Honestly, I think part of it was that he was scared the truth was worse than what he'd sort of just come to accept about you guys."

"What was that?"

"That you didn't care. That you abandoned him." She leaned back in the chair a little. "After Agnes was born and things settled down, he was a little more curious about you specifically. I mean, between Frank Phelps and McCready, he knew he didn't have anyone to base being a good dad off of."

"He seems to be doing a fair job without any role model needed," Howard murmured fondly, thinking of the way Tom had been with Agnes at the birthday party.

"He's great, but questions still come up. When your plane went down he started fixating on it. Absolutely obsessing. Then you popped up and…." She closed her eyes. "I told you the other day to walk away if you aren't willing to put him first, but you helped him. I think the way you came back was wrong, but not that you did."

Howard nodded after a long moment. He'd spent the last several years pushing back decades of emotion and focusing on the task at hand. There was a lot of pain involved in what Scottie had done, but dwelling on that only made him sloppy, and that was something they simply couldn't afford. He had felt the need to become more calculated and more ruthless than he'd been before to survive, and maybe - if he took a moment to be honest with himself - he'd treated his son in a similar way. He'd treated him as the operative that he was without, holding back on the affection he did feel. After this was over. That's what he'd told himself. Maybe waiting had done more damage than he'd ever thought.

"He used to wait outside my office door when we came here," he said after a long moment, the memory of his son looking up with those big blue eyes from where he had been playing with one toy or another and waiting as patiently as a toddler could coming to mind so vividly it could have been yesterday. "I thought I'd have time."

"You do," Liz told him, her voice pointed. "Now. Don't screw it up."

She was smirking just a little and Howard managed a thin smile in return, turning when a floorboard gave a loud creak. Tom stood there, looking slightly less overwhelmed than he had when Liz had guided him back inside, and he looked between them. "Don't let me interrupt."

"Your dad was just telling me a story about how adorable you were as a kid," Liz said, a little mischief in her smile and she managed to draw a hesitant smile from him.

"Not a total terror?"

"You were very well behaved," Howard answered.

Tom snorted a laugh. "Yeah. Frank and Eva would argue on that one. I never heard the end of how much trouble I was to them from the first day in." He took a seat in a chair next to Liz and his gaze shifted to the rain outside. "If everything goes the way we're hoping and the Board gives me a chance at this, I'm going to talk to Agent Lamb about having Scottie transfer to Halcyon custody."

"That's risky," Howard said, watching his son carefully.

"We need all sides if this if we're going to get to the bottom of it, and she won't talk there. It's like she's afraid of someone listening in. I know you don't think-"

"I don't, but this is your investigation. If you think you can get the truth from her, do what you need to."

Tom stared at him for a moment and he nodded slowly.

Howard's phone began to buzz in his pocket and he reached in, recognizing the number. "Albert. Has the Board reached a verdict?"

" _We're close. You'll need to wrap whatever you're doing and come in._ "

"We're on our way." He hung up and looked to Tom. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I can be."

* * *

They checked for weapons at the door, asking both Tom and Howard to empty their pockets as well. Apparently Howard's stunt weeks before when they had infiltrated the building had stuck with the Board members and the new situation had them on high alert.

They were escorted in to where the table was already full, Maggie Ellis at the head. "Howard, Tom, have a seat."

Tom shot his father a quick look, but Howard's focus was on the Board. The only armed personnel that had been outside were Halcyon employee. No cops, no feds. That seemed like a promising sign of nothing else.

"We've been over the evidence that Mr Keen left with us and have done our own DNA test," Albert McKinney said. "The results matched, which means that with both Howard and Scottie… unable to continue in a leadership position, the majority shares are legally passed down to you once the death certificate is reversed."

"Good," Howard answered, finally glancing towards Tom. "Then it's settled."

"There's some alarming information about you in here, Howard," McKinney continued. "Your methods have been…. unorthodox at times, but if this information is true, it looks like the key to putting Scottie behind bars was entirely fabricated by you."

"Not entirely," Howard argued. "Scottie _is_ a deep cover agent and she _did_ kidnap and hold Dr Whitehall without his consent. I'm also fully convinced that she was the one that sabotaged my jet. Two pilots were killed in that crash."

"We are well aware, Howard, but until the full evidence has been presented at the end of Mr Keen's investigation, the Board has decided to place you under house arrest."

Howard snorted. "Under what legal authority?"

"The Board has decided to try to keep this in house until we have all the facts," Ellis chimed in, "but if you refuse to comply with their demands, they will be forced to take the evidence your son presented to the authorities."

Tom looked over to see Howard's calculating expression. "Hey," he said quietly. "Let me get to the bottom of this."

Howard met his gaze and the younger man saw the struggle there. Finally he nodded. "Be careful."

"You too."

"I have a meeting set with our legal team to start the process of reversing your death certificate," Ellis told him. "We'll have Howard escorted home. Once everything has cleared the courts and you sign the paperwork you'll have full control of the case, access to all parties involved, with just one stipulation."

There it was. There was always a _but_. "What's that?"

"The Board wants to be kept apprised of any movements," McKinney answered. "The investigation needs to be completely transparent. Do you think you can handle that, Mr Keen?"

"But I'll have full access? My team too."

"As long as we're confident you're looking for the truth, yes."

"Seems fair enough."

"Then let's reverse a death certificate," Maggie Ellis said with a small smile and motioned towards the door.

Tom took one last look back of the Board and his father. He was all in now.

* * *

Notes: One of the things I was sad about was that we didn't get really dive into why Tom was taken as a kid. I hope we still will in S5, but until then, I'm really pleased to be able to poke at it in this story. I just wrapped up writing chapter sixteen today and it's super heavy on Scottie's backstory for this particular fic. I'm a little bouncy over it. I had some high hopes for her redemption arc here and I'm really enjoying the ride so far :D

Next time - Christopher Hargrave comes back from the dead, someone is watching Scottie's every move, and Tom faces off against a new type of danger.


	15. Identity

**Chapter Fifteen: Identity**

He had been seven when he'd given out his first fake name. He'd gotten into a fight with a boy twice his size over something he couldn't even remember anymore. It had been important at the time, he was sure of it, but they had been just outside a corner store and the owner had come out shouting. The other boy had managed to get away, but the old man had grabbed Jacob by the collar and demanded to know his name. His parents were getting a call. He couldn't remember what the fight had been over, but over two decades later he could remember the sense of dread that came with the idea of Frank and Eva getting that call and what would follow, and a different name than the one that they had given him slipped from his tongue. It was one the man seemed to recognize, because he let him go and told him his parents were going to hear about it.

The couple that had adopted him never did and Jacob had decided that being someone else had its benefits.

Names really hadn't mean much to him, even then. He'd never known his own. While his paperwork said _Phelps_ , Frank and Eva had made it difficult to feel like he truly belonged to that name, even if he'd wanted to at any point in the eight years he'd lived under their roof. They did their best to remind him that the name they gave him was a gift that he wasn't nearly grateful enough for. There was nothing sentimental about it, nothing that made him belong, and he'd had no real attachment to it, so when it made whatever situation he was in just a little easier and the thought he could get away with it, he tossed out fake names like candy. Anything to make it more difficult to track him back to the Phelps home.

Then Bud had picked him up and things had changed. The training that he'd received through the St Regis program had helped him take what Bud had called a natural skill to a whole new level. He slipped in and out of identities as easy as if he were putting on and taking off a coat. Jacob Phelps had all but ceased to exist somewhere along the way. While other teens were finding themselves, Jacob had been losing anything that stood in the way of the job that he'd been exceptionally good at. What did it matter anyway? Jacob Phelps had been 'd been given a name and a roof over his head when he was small, but neither were really his. He was abandoned, unloved, and alone.

Not anymore though.

Tom Keen had found everything that he hadn't realized that he needed, and for the first time in his life he had learned to be himself rather than simply what was easiest to get to where he needed to go. He was still perfectly capable of reading a room and manipulating a situation. He was still an operative, but there was an anchor now. It was one that kept him steady with a place to go home to shed the masks. He knew who he wanted to be. He had found that as Tom Keen, and as absurd as he would have found the notion years before, he was attached to the name. It was the one his wife had taken when they'd first married - one that she'd held onto even after everything fell apart - and the one his daughter had been born under. It was the name he'd found himself in, and he wasn't willing to throw that away like all the others. There was no burning an alias, because it wasn't one anymore. It was him.

Maggie Ellis didn't understand that, nor did any of her multitude of lawyers she had working for her, but it didn't matter what she understood. She'd found the path to take and now he had to sign all the documents to make that happen. He would remain Tom Keen, but he would also be Christopher Hargrave, his chosen name appearing alongside his birth name in the legal documents. The moment everything was signed, though, he was adding to Tom Keen. He was accepting his past, his connection to Scottie and Howard, and his responsibilities to Halcyon Aegis. There was no running away now.

"Hey babe. How're you doing?"

Tom looked up to see Liz standing there, dressed like she'd come straight from work. With the Task Force working overtime to bring in the names Fischer had given up to stay out of prison himself, she hadn't been sure if she would make it, but he found himself feeling a little lighter now that she had. "Hey, babe," he greeted back with a very small smile.

"Did they just leave you out here?" she asked as she took a seat next to him in the otherwise empty line of chairs along the wall of the equally empty hallway.

"Yeah. Feels a little like waiting for the principal," Tom chuckled and his wife smiled.

"Spend a lot of time doing that as a kid?"

"When they could catch me," he answered with a smirk and she rolled her eyes a little at him. He nodded down the way to the judge's chambers. "Maggie's in taking care of all the last details."

"What was the final say on your legal name?"

"I'm not changing it."

"Finally wore her down?"

"I'm stubborn that way," he murmured with a small smile.

"Probably for the better. Aram was going on and on about what everyone would call you."

"Yeah? My name was the topic of conversation on the comms today?"

His wife hummed softly. "Chris, Christopher, if he would remember not to call you Tom… the list went on. You wouldn't believe how relieved he was when I told him you wanted to keep your name."

He could almost hear the other man rattling on and on about it and his smile grew. "Glad I could make his day," he chuckled.

Liz smiled, and Tom saw her gaze shift over to him out of the corner of her eye. "I'm kind of glad too."

"Yeah?"

"You're always going to be my Tom," she told him, her voice soft and he felt a little steadier than when he'd first arrived that afternoon.

"You guys get the man you were after?"

"We did, and then I hopped a private jet to New York. I could get used to that."

"Because you've never flown private," he teased, his meaning only obvious to the woman next to him and she shrugged.

"The jet is just one of many things that went away with everything."

Tom lifted an eyebrow, but didn't get a chance to ask anything further on it. Both Keens looked over as the door opened at the end of the hall, Ellis stepping out and motioning.

"You sure about this?" Liz asked softly.

"I think so."

She reached out and took his hand, her fingers curling around his in support, and not for the first time in all of this he thought how she was better than he could ever deserve.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

He squeezed her hand and she offered him a small smile, seeming to understand. She didn't let go as they stood and started for the courtroom.

* * *

"So do you feel different?" Liz teased as they stepped out into the late afternoon air, New York City still moving in all directions around them.

"Like my hand may fall off after all the papers I'm signing today?"

"Or that you're finding answers?"

Tom snorted, wrapping an arm around her as they walked. "Don't jinx it, babe."

She grinned and settled into his hold, her own arm going around his back. "Do you need to go straight over to meet with the Board?"

"I have a couple hours. What do you say to an early dinner before I have to go sign everything and get saddled with a company?"

"You say that like it's a terrible thing. You get to run an intelligence company."

"From a desk, yeah," he groused.

"The Board already pushing for you to stay out of the field?"

"Yeah. They'll win some of them, but I'm not sitting everything out. And not until all of this is finished with Scottie."

"I'm shocked," she laughed and leaned into him. "So where do you want to-?"

"Keen?"

Tom came to a halt, pulling Liz with him, and he turned. "Lamb. Hey."

Liz watched her husband move forward, hand outstretched to greet a man in a suit that she didn't recognize. She stood back for half a beat, getting a read on the situation.

"Halcyon said you were over here. Sorry to drop in on….whatever you were doing. They weren't clear." His gaze flickered over to Liz very briefly before returning to Tom.

Tom smirked. "Complicated."

"Always is with you people," the dark haired man chuckled.

"Mike Lamb, this is my wife Liz."

"Woh. You married up."

"You have no idea," Tom chuckled. "Liz, Lamb is Halcyon's main contact for the New York field office."

"You're FBI," Liz acknowledged, shaking his hand. "I'm with the Bureau in DC"

The other agent quirked an eyebrow and shot a look over at Liz's husband. "The surprises just keep coming with you, don't they?"

Tom smirked. "I'm guessing this isn't a social call and Liz and I are kind of on a time crunch."

"Right. Sorry. I was trying to reach out to Howard about Susan Hargrave, but he's stepped down or something? They said I could find you here and you were the lead on the case, so-"

"What's going on?"

Lamb glanced around briefly and frowned. "There was a security issue at the prison. A guard slipped through that shouldn't have had access. Could be nothing, but Howard had made a note that any irregularities should be flagged, so my office was contacted."

"Might be something," Tom answered. "The last time I was there she seemed…. I don't know. Like someone might have been watching."

"Wouldn't know. You people keep looping the feed."

Liz snorted at the innocent look her husband tried to give and Agent Lamb that already seemed to know better.

"Can you quietly forward that information to me?" Tom asked.

"Yeah, if you'll keep me in the loop in return."

"Best I can."

Lamb didn't look sold on that, but finally he nodded. "Nice to meet you, Agent Keen."

"You too, Agent Lamb." She watched him turn to leave and looked back to Tom. "What are you thinking?"

Her husband frowned deeply. "That Lamb doesn't sound the alarm for nothing. He's smart. If he thinks there's something, there probably is."

She nodded and gave a thin smile. "Dinner first. You won't be able to act on anything until the Board gives you the all clear anyway, will you?"

"No. If you asked them, I probably shouldn't have even talked with Lamb." He closed his eyes and pulled in a steadying breath. "Let me give Nez and Dumont a heads up. They can get started on it."

"You're not making it back to DC tonight, are you?"

He frowned. "Probably not. Forgive me?"

She didn't like it, but with her job she didn't have a lot of room to complain. Liz tipped up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his scruffy cheek. "You'll just have to make it up to me when you get home."

* * *

It's a fact of life that things don't always turn out the way a person expects them to. It doesn't matter how much planning goes into it or how talented of a strategist takes on the job. Sometimes a wrench is thrown into the situation and it doesn't matter how well-oiled the machine is. It's going to fall apart.

Scottie Hargrave never would have imagined that Christopher would have been that wrench.

She had spent nearly thirty years in a horrible sort of purgatory that she called her life. The night that he'd been taken and that morning when she realized were the first of a succession of terrible events. Her little boy, per perfect child, had been stolen from her. Taken from his own bed and she'd been unable to protect him. Wasn't it a mother's job to protect her child?

The desperation had clawed at her in those early months, but the car accident had revealed the truth. Scottie remembered waking up, surrounded by white walls and the sound of machines sounding off her vitals, and a woman. She hadn't known her face, but her presence gave her away. She'd smiled, almost charming, and she'd asked her how she felt. Everything about her had been wrong, and a glance around the otherwise empty room had told Scottie that they were alone and, she had thought, that she was about to die.

Instead the woman had continued to smile, leaning closer, and had spoken very softly near her ear. "Killing him would have been counter productive. We need you to focus, Susan."

And then she'd been gone. If the pain medication had kicked in or she'd just been that good, Scottie never had known. She'd asked Howard about her and he'd sworn up and down that the only personnel to be in the hospital room had been approved staff members. Maybe she had been, but she had also been an operative. A messenger.

Just like the one that came to stand next to her that day.

"Susan Hargrave. You're kind of a legend," he said, his voice light and conversational.

"I'm not the only CEO in here."

"Former, but you and I both know that you won't be in here for long. If the government gets their way, you'll be shipped off to a blacksite and locked up in some deep, dark hole never to be heard from again. I don't think they allow visitation rights for that."

It would also render her entirely useless to them. "Get to your point."

The guard snorted, chuckling to himself as he leaned back against the table she was sitting at. All she wanted to do was enjoy her time out of her cell in peace, but it didn't look like that was happening today. "He's persistent, I'll give you that."

"Who is?"

"Your son. I'm being transferred tomorrow."

"Sounds like your problem, not his."

"Sounds like he's been poking around where he shouldn't be. Miller and Vasquez are being transferred too. That can't be a coincidence."

Scottie rolled her eyes around to look at him, the gesture more dramatic than it really needed to be. "What do you want, Campy?"

"Campton."

"Your point?"

The guard frowned irritably and she smirked. Good. She was getting under his skin. "My point is, Susan, that we answer to the same people. People that want results. I don't think I have to remind you what they were willing to do when he was a kid. They won't have any problem killing him to put you in line."

"What do they care? I'm useless to them in here."

"You are, which is why when your lawyer shows up to tell you that Tom Keen is trying to have you transferred to a secure Halcyon facility that you will be more than cooperative"

Scottie blinked owlishly, startled for the first time. "He's what?"

"You heard me. You're going home."

"They're not letting me go."

"No, he's having you transferred for interrogation. He knows about our eyes and ears here and he thinks he can control the situation better at Halcyon. They want you to let him think that. Convince him you're on his side. Fix the mess you've made and your son will be safe."

"He's Howard's and my son. He's not so easily manipulated if he's got his mind set. How do you expect me to convince him?"

He smirked, shoving himself off the table. "I don't know, Scottie. That's _your_ job. You don't do it, your son's first, your husband after that. You know how these things go."

"And what makes you think I care what happens to Howard?"

"I don't know, but the upper management seems to think you do. Guess we'll find out."

She watched him saunter off, her dark gaze narrowing. She hated these people. She'd given her life to them, and she hated them.

"Hey there."

Scottie turned, finding a woman watching her carefully with almond shaped, curious brown eyes. She was studying her, her head tilted just a little to the side in an expression that looked vaguely familiar. She wasn't saying anything, though, and Scottie's frown deepened. "Did you need something?"

The woman smiled, and Scottie was certain that was familiar as she extended a note held between two fingers. "Don't trust Keen."

Scottie took the note from the mystery woman and watched her saunter by as she unfolded it.

* * *

"You want to do what?"

Tom leveled a calculated look at Albert McKinney. "I want to have Scottie Hargrave transferred to a Halcyon facility."

"The Board is never going to go for this."

He sat back, watching the man on the other side of his father's desk. It didn't feel like his, even if it technically was. The company didn't feel like his, but this was where he found out if he really had control. "They don't have to. They've given me leeway to conduct the investigation as I think it needs to be conducted as long as I keep you guys in the loop. Consider this me keeping you in the loop."

McKinney nodded slowly and sat back in the chair, crossing a leg at the knee in a gesture that Tom was certain meant he wasn't going anywhere for a few minutes at the very least. After a moment he spoke, his words slow and thoughtful. "I knew you as a boy, did you know that? Howard used to bring you to the office and roam some of the halls. You had every last secretary wrapped around your finger from the moment you could walk. Probably before."

Tom snorted a laugh.

"You found my office more than once, poking your head in. I used to keep these bottled ships on the shelf that you'd come look at. A friend of your father's got you stuck on ships and you were absolutely obsessed. You would spend hours in there just…." He paused, watching Tom. "You don't remember any of that, do you?"

The younger man pulled in a long breath, watching his father's friend study him in return. Howard trusted McKinney, and even though Tom was reluctant to trust any of the Board members much further than he could see them - Nez's continuous warnings about the possibility that there was a third party at play often at the forefront of his mind - he had no reason to question that McKinney had known him. The man certainly felt familiar on a level. "My memory's spotty before I was taken."

"I'm sure you went through a lot. Most of our operatives that we hire are former Special Forces out of the military. You… There's not a lot in your file, but you certainly were trained somewhere."

"Is there a question there, Mr McKinney?"

"Al."

"Al."

McKinney smiled, the expression charming enough. "I've been in the intelligence business long enough to know that military intelligence and federally approved organizations aren't the only ones with training that we can use. Howard hired them here and there, Scottie hired more. You do what you have to. You've likely been through a lot, and it's likely taught you a few bad habits that you'll need to shake for the purpose of running Halcyon. We _do_ answer to the United States government, even if we're a private organization. We're not St Regis."

Tom schooled his expression carefully, the name of Bud's organization immediately sending him behind every defensive wall he had. Even in the criminal world, the name of McCready's program wasn't well known. There were some, of course, but for someone on the so-called right side of the law to know it struck a nerve. "I hope you have a point here, Al. I have a lot of work to finish up before hopping a plane home tonight."

"My point, Tom, is that you're at a crossroads. You know who you were, but not who you will be. Will you run Halcyon Aegis like you would have run St Regis had Bill McCready lived long enough to pass the reigns down to you or will you run it as Christopher Hargrave, a young man with the world at his feet?" He uncrossed his legs, using the momentum to stand. "It's up to you, Tom, if you become the next great CEO of Halcyon Aegis or if you lose everything in a futile attempt to uncover every personal truth you can. Sometimes the past is simply lost and we must come to terms with that if we're going to move forward."

McKinney was standing now, towering over where Tom sat behind the large desk, and dark blue eyes looked up and met his without blinking. Finally Tom stood, drawing himself up to his full height and squaring his shoulders. "You may have known me as a little kid, but you don't have a damn clue what I went through to get to where I am today. I don't care what your PI's have uncovered or what you think you know about St Regis or my past. I know who I am now and I'm not backing down. You can tell the Board that Scottie will be transferred to a secured Halcyon facility for questioning."

The two men stared at each other for a long moment before McKinney finally shook his head, a laugh escaping him. "You are Howard's son," he said at last. "Alright. I'll let them know. You heading home to see that family of yours tonight?"

"On the plane as soon as I finish this up," Tom answered pointedly.

"Then I'll get out of your hair. Nothing's more important than family."

Tom watched his father's friend walk away and there was a long moment before he retook his seat, uncertain if he'd just won that battle or would find himself in the middle of another round the next time the Board met. Either way, Scottie would be there within days. He'd make sure of it.

* * *

Notes: I had a terrible case of writer's block with this chapter, but Scottie's scene was what broke it. I'm really excited, because this is the start of bringing her around regularly in this story. I've been telling myself to be patient, and I hope it's worked out. I _may_ have just been working on a scene today in which Howard and Scottie work together. Maybe :P

Any predictions? Thoughts?

Next time - Things don't go as Tom plans, secrets are revealed, and Liz meets one of Halcyon's Boardmembers.


	16. Secrets Within Lies

**Chapter Sixteen: Secrets Within Lies**

"I can get surveillance from the Artax Network, feeds in from surrounding cameras, and the van'll be Halcyon, so no problem patching in the audio to our systems."

Tom nodded, shifting his gaze to Nez who had a tablet in hand. "We've got the route mapped out-" she glanced over to Dumont who put it up on the big screen for them - "and two alternative routes."

"And all of that has been provided to the Board?" Tom asked, not missing the way Nez frowned a little as she nodded. "Good. Find a third alternative and keep it off their radars."

"No trust for the suits?" Dumont asked curiously.

Tom leaned back in the chair, gaze studying the routes. "This has gotten delayed twice. No, I'm not really in a trusting mood right now."

Nez snorted. "Not one of those Board members has been in the field as an operative. They're businessmen."

"Which is fine for the business side of it, not so much for the operations side," Tom agreed. He turned at the sound of the door opening behind them, their visitor escorted in.

Special Agent Mike Lamb stood staring, looking a little like a kid that had found a candy store. "This place is something else."

Tom stood from his chair at the long table in the ops room. "Glad you could make it. You remember Nez Rowan? This is Dumont DeSoto, our tech specialist."

Lamb leaned over to shake Dumont's hand, Nez offering him a tilt of her head in greeting. "I feel like you guys were holding back some when we were here last."

"Those are just the outer rooms, yeah."

Dumont flashed a grin. "The deeper you get, the better the toys."

"I can see that. You ever feel like sharing with the Bureau and I know one field office that won't turn you down."

Tom smirked and motioned for Lamb to take a seat. He did so, dark eyes watching the Halcyon team carefully. "I'm gonna guess you found something on Campton since I'm here."

"Him and two others, yeah. They've all been transferred, but there's no way to know if they're the only ones." Tom paused. "Listen, your name was the only one even on our radar when they said we needed to bring someone in from the federal side of this investigation. You're the one that put the alert on Campton, and I'd rather have someone that we trust in on this than some new face."

Lamb chuckled. "That's sweet, Keen. Never knew you cared."

Tom smirked in return. "If all goes well, it's just going to be a transfer."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then I want to make sure that the fed we have on the team has our back as much as we'll have his."

Lamb nodded slowly and Tom watched him carefully. "I get that, but it's got to be a two way street. I'm not stupid. Susan Hargrave gets pushed out, Howard Hargrave steps down, and the person that takes over is some new operative that's been there a couple of months? With full Board approval? C'mon, man. There's more to it than that."

Tom could feel both Dumont and Nez's gazed on him, waiting to see how much he trusted Lamb. They were navigating a minefield where having information could be just as dangerous as not having it, depending on the situation. He was asking for Lamb to trust him and potentially putting him right in the line of fire without giving him a good reason for it. Lamb wasn't an idiot. He saw there was something deeper to all of this.

"When you brought the intel to me about Campton, you ran into Liz and me leaving the courthouse?"

"Yeah."

"I was reversing the death certificate Scottie signed for me." He paused just a second, a little startled how quickly Lamb caught on.

"You're the Hargrave kid, aren't you? The one that disappeared years ago?" He shook his head, a short chuckle escaping him. "That makes so much more sense."

Tom blinked hard, turning to see if either Nez or Dumont had accidentally given anything away. Lamb snorted a laugh. "C'mon. I investigate for a living, and you and Howard look a lot alike side by side. It's not too far of a stretch with all the pieces."

"He's got a point," Dumont said from over to the side.

Tom shook his head. "The Board knows, some of the lawyers know, and the people in this room know. I'd like to keep it… controlled."

"I'll make sure to keep it off the evening news," Lamb answered with a smirk and Tom rolled his eyes, a smile of his own tugging his lips as the other man extended his hand. "Thanks for the trust, Keen."

* * *

Everything had come together a bit slower than he would have liked, but it was finally in place. They had surveillance set up, he had personally checked over the van - and then had Nez check it again - the morning of the transfer. Dumont would be watching from HQ, Nez in the security vehicle with a couple of agents that Lamb had chosen personally - including his own partner - and Tom was in the van Scottie would be in. The Board had protested, but he'd refused to budge. There was no margin for error.

It was mid morning by the time all the last minute details had been squared away. Tom been at the office going over all the details again and again late into the night. He'd taken a handful of hours to go back to his hotel room and take a powernap, shower, grab a fresh change of clothes and some coffee, and then do one last sweep over everything. Now there he stood, the sun bearing down on him and he tried not to squint, regretting that he'd left his sunglasses at the office.

Tom tilted his chin up a bit as he saw the door open and Mike Lamb stepped out, surrounded by three other federal agents and there was a lone female figure walking in the middle of all of them. She still wore her orange jumpsuit, but it looked like Lamb had taken the precaution to make sure she was also wearing a bulletproof vest in case the worst happened and someone took a shot at her to keep her where she was.

Scottie Hargrave caught sight of him and her dark eyes widened as she was moved closer. "Tom," she said, his name not quite a greeting, "I wasn't aware you'd be here personally."

"Problem, Scottie?"

She hesitated and Tom watched her carefully, hoping for some way to decipher the tells. Finally she loosed a short breath and gave him a thin smile. "Of course not."

He managed to catch Lamb's gaze and he quirked an eyebrow. Tom brushed it off, motioning to the back of the van. "You're being transferred to a Halcyon holding facility today."

"So I've been told."

Well, it wasn't like he'd expected her to suddenly spill all of her secrets. Tom shook off the cold response and motioned her into the van, following in and settling on the bench across from her as the doors were shut behind them. She watched him from her place, her gaze studying, and Tom heard Lamb and his partner take the front seat and the passenger. He leaned forward as the engine rumbled to life and he braced his elbows against his knees, fingers loosely laced in front of him. "This transfer is about protecting you. Howard's not in charge of Halcyon anymore. I am. He stepped down because he knows that he's too close to this situation."

Scottie stared at him for a long moment as the van lurched forward. "And how did you manage to take control of Halcyon?"

"Easy. I came back from the dead."

Dark eyes closed slowly and Scottie shook her head. "Then the Board knows?"

"Is that a problem?" He waited, watching her as the blank, unreadable mask slipped into place and it was his turn to shake his head. "I can't help you if you're not honest with me."

"That's rich, coming from you."

"I did what I had to do to find the truth," Tom snapped.

"And the truth is going to get you killed," she answered, her voice tight and she sat back, squaring her shoulders up against the side of the van, and the next words were mumbled so deeply under her breath that Tom wondered if he was meant to hear them at all. "You're just like your father."

He snorted, tilting his head. "You've been calling him delusional. Is that what you think I am?"

Her gaze snapped to meet his. "I think your stubborn, just like Howard. Stubborn to the point that I can't-"

Whatever she was going to say was lost to the sound of screeching tires and a loud sound that overtook the inside of the van. It was something like two metal objects hitting with enough force to drive one to a tipping point, and for just a moment gravity seemed to mean nothing at all. Time slowed, and Tom watched it inch past as he was tilted forward, Scottie tilted back, and shouts sounded from the front seat where Lamb and the driver were trying to find some control in the situation where there was none.

They tilted and Tom felt himself leaving the bench, silently cursing in the half a moment that he had to do so that he hadn't buckled himself to it. He slammed hard, his vision swimming dangerously as he hit the opposite side of the van and they rolled over once and then again, resting on the top as far as he could tell with the gravity settling him against the ceiling of it. Everything settled for just a moment and he blinked hard, feeling blood trickle down close to his eye from where his brow had been split open during one of the hard hits.

Scottie moaned where she was, shifting and sitting up, and Tom did the same, reaching for her and catching hold of her wrist. "What the hell have you done?" he demanded.

"Tom," she breathed, and looked genuinely upset, "you weren't supposed to be here."

"You planned this? I was trying to _help_ you!"

There was a noise outside the door and Tom heard the sound of gunshots and shouting towards the front of the van. Nez and her team would have been right there with them, but if Scottie had prepared well enough, they might be outmanned.

The door blew inward and all of a sudden Scottie wrenched free of his grasp. He ducked the blow that she meant for him and pivoted around, using the fact that her movements were handicapped by the cuffs she wore to his advantage.

The men that entered the upsidedown van wore tactical gear and even though Tom got a shot off, it never made it past the vest. His head was still ringing from the crash and he slammed hard into the side of the van as his opponent body tackled him, the gun flying out of his grasp, and he felt gloved hands go around his throat, cutting off his air. He kicked out, catching the man, and he followed up with a hard hit that sent him stumbling.

Tom shook his head hard, trying to regain his bearings, but he wasn't able to move fast enough to get away from the electrified baton that caught him in the side, immediately weakening his knees and he dropped to the floor hard, his breaths coming in sharp gasps.

"Scottie, we have to go," someone called and Tom saw her move into his line of site, bent over him as he laid out on what was now the floor.

She reached out, the palm of her hand warm against his cheek and he couldn't help but wonder when she'd been freed from her cuffs. "Christopher, I need you to know I'm doing this for you. They want me there. They want me where they can use me, but I'm choosing you. Before it's too late again, I'm choosing to protect you."

" _Scottie_!" the same voice as before called irritably and Tom saw her look back.

He winced, the shock of the electric hit still threatening to pull him under. "Scottie… don't."

Her lips pulled tight in a strained smile and she leaned forward, pressing a kiss against his forehead. "I love you."

Then she was gone, pulling back out of his line of vision and all Tom saw was the floor of the van overhead. He stared at it as the shouts and the gunshots faded and his vision darkened around the edges, unconsciousness finally winning out.

* * *

She was shuffled into the back of a nondescript black car like she'd used so many times before. A fresh change of clothes was provided and by the time she reached the safe house she thought that she at least looked a bit more like herself, even if she didn't feel it.

There seemed to be fewer armed personnel than had been at her breakout. As she stepped into the house she saw the one that she'd been looking for. He had changed as well, trading the body armour for one of his finely pressed suits and he he was speaking with someone as she stepped through the door. He turned, flashing her a charming smile. "Scottie."

"Solomon. I was under the impression you'd paid your debt and bowed out."

"I did pay my debt. I'm here on my own choice now."

Her lips peeked a little at the corners and he tilted his head, indicating she should follow. She did, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. "Get me up to speed."

"Keen's been digging."

"So I see. Did Howard really step down?"

"I don't know all the particulars. I have fewer people willing to provide those from the inside these days, but I've seen the information Howard gathered on you."

"Then you know he set me up."

Matias Solomon chuckled and took a seat on the sofa, crossing his long legs at the knee and leaning back. "For the construction of the device, yes. For kidnapping, no. For espionage, no." Dark eyes met hers and she held his gaze. "I'm not judging you. I just need to know what's going on before I put my neck on the line again. A little honesty is all I'm asking. If not, this is where we part ways."

Scottie watched him for a long moment, weighing her options. The house was mostly empty, the room that they were in entirely empty of people save them, but from where she stood trust was a dangerous gamble.

Solomon huffed, rocking forward to stand. "Alright then. Best of luck, Scottie."

"They're going to kill them," she said, the words slipping out before she gave herself permission.

There was a long pause where Solomon didn't move. Finally he nodded, retaking his seat. "I'm listening."

She felt exposed as she stood there, staring at a man whose life she'd once saved and who had just done the same for her. He had paid his debt to her and sat there now because he chose to. She had his loyalty if she was willing to earn it by trusting him.

"My father was a psychologist that worked on a joint military research project while I was young. Operation Soft Rain was set up to identify children that scored highly on certain personality traits and train them in espionage at a young age. It was sanctioned for a while, then it wasn't, but most of them stayed on in one fashion or another." She moved to a chair across from the couch, taking a seat and gathering herself. She hadn't said anything about the organization in decades, and speaking about them so openly after so long left her with an uncomfortable knot in the pit of her stomach. She pulled in a deep breath, steadying herself as she sat up straight. "Some fractured off on their own schools of sort. Most of those failed, St Regis being the exception."

Solomon tilted his head. "The same organization the your son received his training from."

"A fact not lost on me when I found out." Her gaze swept the room before continuing. "My father ended up partnering with one of the leading members of their team - Frank Ellington - and they built the entire organization from the ashes of a failed government program."

"I take it you were one of their operatives?"

"One of their best," Scottie answered. "My father wasn't a bad man. He loved his country and he understood that some people need to work from the shadows so that others can live in the light. When Howard began building Halcyon, my father asked me to approach him. By the time I'd made contact, Frank had already passed away and his son Miles, who had gone through the program just ahead of me, had taken his place. He and I were the ones that put the plan in motion to insert me deeper into Halcyon. My father likely never would have taken it that far, but it was the Cold War and Miles and I felt…. justified."

"You chose to marry Hargrave to spy on him."

Scottie leveled a look that dared Solomon to pass judgement and he raised his hands palms outward. "You do what you have to to get the job done."

"That's what I said," she murmured. "By the time Christopher was born, I knew Howard was clean, but I... I justified staying in saying that a company like Halcyon needed steady oversight, but Miles must have realized I'd gotten in too deep."

Solomon made a small sound of understanding. "So they took your son."

"They left him alive to make sure I remained in and quiet."

"This Miles Ellington. I know a lot of people in the intelligence community, but I've never heard of him."

"He's a ghost. Even I haven't been able to find him, and he hasn't reached out personally in years. It's all done through his people now. People I don't know. When I married Howard, our organization was small, but now… I can only imagine how Miles has grown it to have so many eyes and ears."

"Nez seemed to think that there are other plants inside Halcyon."

"There are. Some I knew of, some I don't. I know Board members work for Miles but I've never known which ones."

"And Howard's sabotaged plane?"

Scottie snorted. "With the exception of failing, that has Miles written all over it."

"So why haven't you told Keen about all of this? It seems right up his alley to want to believe you."

"They've made it clear that they'll kill him. I have to find a way to get to Miles before he can do that and he doesn't trust me. Not enough to do what needs to be done to take out someone like Miles."

"Sounds like I had good timing then," Solomon said, a confident smile stretching his lips wide.

"This is a suicide mission, Matias. We have no support and enemies on both side. You don't have to do this."

"I know I don't, but I will."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a free agent and I get a choice where I go. I choose you."

She nodded slowly. Well, at least she had one ally. That was a start.

* * *

She had been on the first flight to New York when she had gotten the call. Liz wasn't sure how she felt knowing that Tom hadn't been sent to the hospital, but to a Halcyon medical facility. She hadn't talked to him directly, so she had no idea how badly he'd been hurt in the breakout. They had refused to release any information to her over the phone, instead giving her the address and telling her that she could speak to a doctor when she arrived.

It was still a better situation than Howard was in, though. They wouldn't release his house arrest to let him go to the facility and see his son.

"Elizabeth Keen?"

Liz stopped, her nerves already on edge and she had no interest in stopping to chat. It had taken long enough to get passed the damn gatekeeper of a secretary at the entrance. "Yes?"

The man that had called out was dressed in an expensive suit, red hair combed back and streaked with grey. He flashed her a charming smile that immediately put Liz on high alert. "Al McKinney," he introduced himself. "I'm the COO here at Halcyon Aegis."

Liz took the offered hand and put on a smile of her own despite the unease. "Nice to meet you. I'm looking for my husband. I received a call that something happened."

"Yes, our medical staff takes privacy to a whole new level in Halcyon," he chuckled. "Tom has the clearance now that he can have a note in his file to allow the medical teams to release information over the phone if you both wish."

"Is he alright?"

"He will be. If you don't mind, Ms Keen, I'd like to take a moment-"

"Agent," she corrected and the man stared at her blankly for a moment. "I'm a federal agent," she told him sharply.

" _Agent_ Keen, my apologies."

He motioned, his hand barely touching her arm as he guided her off to the side and into a room. Liz couldn't quite push the rising discomfort back.

"I understand that your husband's situation is a delicate one, and I would like to help him in that."

"Exactly how is it delicate, Mr McKinney?" Liz asked carefully.

He smiled. "Caught between two parents he's never known, both well versed in lies and deception. I wouldn't want to make that judgement call. It would be understandable if he'd chosen to trust the wrong-"

"I'm sorry, but exactly what are you accusing Tom of?"

McKinney blinked, looking surprised by her tone, though she doubted that he was. "Scottie Hargrave is missing, Agent Keen. If your husband orchestrated her escape - one that put several federal agents in the hospital, I might add - things are about to become very difficult for him. He will need a friend in his corner, but that can only happen if I gave all the facts."

Liz's mind grabbed onto each piece of information as it came forward. Scottie was in the wind, people were hurt, and they were look to blame Tom. She squared her shoulders, pulling herself up to her full height. "Tom was bringing Scottie here to get to the truth. Letting her go gets him nowhere, and if he's here, my guess is that the agents weren't the only ones injured by her. Now, if you're done lobbing baseless accusations, I'd like to see my husband. Now."

He watched her for a moment, as if trying to decide his next course of action. Finally he nodded. "Of course. This way."

She followed back past the doors she had been aiming for when McKinney had pulled her aside, through a hall that looked just like any normal hospital, and he motioned to a room with a closed door, obviously not planning to go in himself.

Liz peeked in through the window on the door to see Tom pulling a t-shirt over his head, light bandages wrapped around his middle, but he wasn't hooked up to any of the machinery, which she hoped was a good sign. She pushed the door open, drawing his attention, and she tried for a smile. "Hey."

"Hey," he answered back and shifted off the bed to stand, wincing a little as he reached for his boots. "Sorry I didn't call you myself. They took my phone and this has been the first second I've had to myself since they brought me here."

"I met a guy named McKinney."

Tom snorted. "Great."

"Real charmer, isn't he?" she asked with a smirk and his look said she'd hit it on the head. She moved to take a seat next to where he'd leaned back against the bed to pull his boots on. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just a little banged up. Pretty sure that was Solomon that caught me with the electrified baton."

She grimaced. "He just won't go away, will he?"

"I may have a way to track him down, so there is that. You know, if they don't throw me in some dark hole somewhere."

"I wouldn't let them do that," Liz promised softly, leaning into him a little.

She heard him chuckle and he turned, kissing the side of her head. "All I know is that I have to find her. I can't find answers if she's gone." He sighed, squeezing eyes shut hard. "She said she was doing it for me. What does that even mean?"

Liz sighed, reaching out to take his hand in the only form of support she knew how to give in that moment. She held on tight, knowing how hard it was to find twice as many questions where an answer should be. It hurt. She knew how much it hurt, but just like he had stood by her so she wouldn't have to face it alone, she wouldn't let him take it all on himself.

* * *

Notes: Hat tip to Tessa for helping me name the program Scottie went through.

I know I've gotten several reviews wanting more Scottie and wanting to know more about her motives here, so here we go! I'd love to know what you guys think about where this is going.

Next time - Tom finds out something about his past, Liz gets an update on the Hitchin case, and Scottie takes a step to find out about the night her son was taken from her.


	17. What We're Fighting For

**Chapter Seventeen: What We're Fighting For**

He'd been going over it for half an hour, barely taking a breath between words. He'd had every route covered, every possibility accounted for. He'd checked against possible leaks, against dangers in the prison and in their team transporting her. He'd had Dumont watching and Nez nearby. He'd trusted his FBI contact and the man was now in the hospital for all his efforts. For thirty minutes Howard listened to his son pick apart everything that happened, examine it, and put it back together to see if he could find where he went wrong. Finally, Howard sighed, leaning against the island in the middle of his kitchen. "Tom. Tom, stop. Son, this was not your fault."

" _Try telling the Board that_ ," the younger man huffed.

Howard closed his eyes, searching for the right thing to say. He hadn't expected the call when it came in. Truth be told, choosing to call him would probably only make the Board look harder at him, but his son had come to him. If it was for advice, reassurance, or any number of things, Tom himself probably didn't know, but the number he'd dialed when he needed to talk had been Howard's, and while his father hated the position that Scottie had put him in, he wasn't planning on squandering this.

" _I just can't find what I've overlooked_ ," Tom sighed from the other end of the line. " _Even now, I have everything accounted for. She shouldn't have even had people in the vicinity, much less been able to broadside us like that._ "

"It's like I told you the other day, your mother is a strategist."

" _It's not like I'm an amature._ "

"No, but it is personal for you," Howard said carefully. "You have to remember that this is business for Scottie."

There was a long pause from the DC side of the line and Howard waited, the house that he was confined to silent around him and he realized that he wasn't even breathing as he waited. Finally Tom loosed a long breath. " _Am I an idiot? Even after the van flipped and she was running… it seemed so personal to her to._ "

"You're not an idiot, son," Howard assured him as he gripped the phone just a little tighter. "There were so many years - _years_ , Tom - that I ignored the signs. I should have known, but when you love someone… you don't want to see the worst in them. You want to hope, and no one can blame you for that."

"I did this to Liz. I…"

"Scottie may be your mother, but that doesn't mean that you can trust her to be like you, Tom. You love Liz. Scottie used us for her own gain."

" _I'm going to find her, Dad. Whatever the Board says, I don't care. I'll fight them on it. I'm going to bring her in._ "

"Just… let them have their moment, son. They may not be able to force you out right now, but they can make this even more difficult for you. DC is the best place for you while the dust settles. Kiss that beautiful baby girl of yours, spend time with your wife."

" _Every second we're not looking for her gives her a better chance of getting away,_ " Tom argued. " _We haven't seen any aliases we know flagged yet, but if it were me, I'd be out of the country she makes it out-_ "

A beeping in his ear caused Howard to pull the phone back, and he frowned at the caller ID. "We're not going to let that happen," he swore. "I have to go, but… If you need me…"

" _Thanks, Dad_."

"I love you, son," Howard promised before ending the call to take the line on hold. "Tablert. What do you have for me?"

" _We found her, sir. Picked her up on surveillance_."

"Anyone else out of Halcyon yet?"

" _Not to our knowledge, sir._ "

"Keep it that way. Tom has enough eyes on him. We'll deal with this."

* * *

Tom loosed a long breath as he half tossed, half set his phone on the table, watching it slide. He turned to look at Agnes in her bouncer who was watching him, eyes wide and curious. She pulled a smile out of him as he stepped forward and picked her up. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and she giggled, squirming a little before settling in as he put her against his shoulder. She lay there against him, still and happy, babbling just a little as he bounced her. "We've got this, right kiddo?" he murmured and heard her make a soft, content sound.

A knock at the front door drew his attention and Tom reluctantly returned his daughter to her bouncer. She fussed a little as he moved towards the door, silently hoping that he wouldn't see someone in uniform on the other side. The Board didn't have anything on him - mostly because there was nothing to have - when it came to Scottie's escape, but they had been antsy. It was the reason he'd come home. Just as Howard had reiterated on the phone with him, they needed to feel like they had space and he needed to not lose the company at this point. Just because they didn't have a good case didn't mean they wouldn't try to take it, or at least put every roadblock in his way to stop him from being productive.

The individual outside his apartment wasn't law enforcement, though, and as Tom opened the door a deep frown tugged at his lips. "Reddington."

Raymond Reddington looked just as put out by seeing Tom as Tom was at seeing him. "I need to speak to Elizabeth," he said after a moment, brushing past the younger man with a dismissive attitude that Tom hadn't seen in a while.

"She's at work."

Red stopped in his tracks, halfway into the living room now, and twitched just a little. Tom shut the door after noting that he'd come alone and following him in. They stood there for a moment, both men quiet and Agnes finally let out a happy squeal and reached for the man that had given her her favourite toy. "May I?"

"Yeah," Tom answered gruffly. It wasn't like he had a choice. Agnes would wail and scream the moment that her daddy kicked him out.

He watched Reddington's demeanor change as he bent down to pick the little girl up. She was happy to see him and his gaze softened tremendously as he melted into a goofy expression for her. Agnes laughed and reached up, snagging the aviators that he wore from his nose and Tom moved immediately to take them from her. "Her new thing is glasses," he explained, setting them down on the kitchen table so they'd be out of reach if Reddington put her down to toddle around. "She broke a pair of mine the other day and thought it was the funniest thing in the world." Tom winked at Agnes and she started to giggle at him His gaze shifted up to find Red staring. "What?"

"Where did you get that?"

Tom followed his gaze to the little red tugboat that Liz had brought back from the Ocean City house for him. "It's nothing. Just a toy."

Reddington shifted Agnes, but his expression was distant. "You and Elizabeth are both stubborn. You'll search for the answers you think you need about your past until it utterly destroys your present."

"Or yours," Tom said, reaching for his daughter. "I told you it would have been better coming from you. You can't blame anyone but yourself on that one."

"You don't have the experience to fathom what it is that you don't know. You've lost Scottie, Halcyon is slipping through your fingers, and by ignoring my advice to leave it well enough alone you've put Elizabeth, Agnes, and yourself directly in the line of fire."

"Yeah, well leaving it to chance never helped us a whole lot," Tom snapped and Agnes fussed a little in his arms. He kissed the side of her head, trying to calm his own agitation that she was picking up on. "All that does is set us up to be blindsided by whatever's coming."

Reddington studied him for a long moment and Tom looked back to the tug boat. "What do you know about it?"

"Very little."

The younger man snorted. "Don't screw around with me, Reddington." Dark blue eyes watched him carefully, Agnes squirmed to be put down. He did, and she smiled brightly as she waddled towards her grandfather, one chubby hand reached out and somehow it jarred a memory, almost like a piece had been added to an unfinished puzzle. "You."

Reddington's expression said that he knew just what Tom meant, and he took a knee on the wooden floor to get closer to Agnes' height as he spoke to the happy little girl's father. "Howard and I knew each other well once."

"You told me you had… what was it? A brief, professional relationship," Tom said tightly.

"Followed by quite an adventurous friendship. He has always had many friends within the various branches of the military, but his closer ones have always been in the intelligence community. He and I became close. I met you several times as a small child. You were quick and clever. I was... quite fond of you."

As Reddington spoke, a sort of ironic chuckle escaping him, Tom felt a knot forming deep in his stomach that made him feel a little ill. Obviously Reddington had known who his parents were, he'd been the one to tell Tom about Scottie, but he'd never imagined that the man had known him as a child. Not after everything they'd been through. "How long?"

Reddington looked up, seeming a little startled by the question. "How long what, Tom?"

"How long have you known who I am? Before Zamani? Before you hired me? Is that why you hired me?"

"I didn't know then, no. Bill recommended you and I took him at his recommendation. It had always been solid up until then."

"Then when?"

"When Elizabeth became pregnant," he answered. "I wanted to be prepared for whatever dangers you'd bring to her and her child."

Tom bristled, but kept his mouth shut. Well, at least he knew why Reddington had chosen to pay off Reinhart after the jewelry heist gone wrong. He pulled in a steadying breath. "What can you tell me then? You've known my parents for a long time and my guess is you have more than a few secrets stored away about them. You said Scottie had secrets and some of them were about me. Help me get ahead of this. Help me protect my little girl from whatever Scottie's brought down on us."

He hated the pleading sound to his own voice, but he was getting desperate. He needed a way to protect the people he loved, and as often as he and Reddington didn't see eye-to-eye, Liz and Agnes' safety was something they both wanted.

The phone on the table started buzzing and Tom held up a hand, signaling that he needed to take it. "Nez, please tell me you've got good news."

" _Howard just skipped out on his house arrest._ "

Great. Because he needed something else in his plate that day. "Does the Board know yet?"

" _No_."

"Keep it that way. Send me the details as you get them. I need to get things settled here and I'll be in my way." He ended the call and looked at a Reddington. "I have to handle something. You've already freaked Carley out badly enough. You probably shouldn't be here when she gets here."

"I wasn't the one that put the poor girl in the closet."

"Just showed up with armed guards."

"Let me call my people. I'll have Agnes-"

"She's fine. Liz'll be home soon."

Reddington finally relented and nodded. "Until next time, Agnes," he promised softly.

"Reddington," Tom called as the older man started for the door, "this conversation we were having isn't over."

Red didn't answer. Instead he fit his hat on his head and left without another word.

* * *

"Tell Carly I'll be home within a couple hours. Be careful, babe."

She heard him promise that he would and the call ended, leaving Liz sitting at her desk alone, staring at the files in front of her and feeling a sense of dread. What was Howard thinking?

A knock at the office door startled her out of her thoughts and Liz looked up to see Ressler at the entrance. "Hey. You got a sec?"

No, she didn't, but something about his tone led her to think that she needed to free a few up for him. "Sure, what's up?"

He closed the door behind him and moved closer to where she sat, past his own desk and his voice was very hushed as he spoke. "Laurel Hitchin's has been officially listed as a missing person."

Liz pulled in a steadying breath. "Ress, Tom said that this guy, Prescott, is very good. It'll pass."

He shook his head. "You don't get it."

"I do. I've been there, Ress, but this is not your fault. You're a good person that had a terrible choice to make."

"They're looking into Julian."

Liz blinked hard. "Gale? Why?"

Ressler swallowed hard and leaned against her desk, crossing his arms over his chest. "Apparently he made a big scene when Hitchin shut down the investigation. I don't know if Prescott somehow planted evidence or if it'll pass over, but Gale didn't do this. If he-"

"If he what, Ress?" Liz asked tightly, her voice as quiet as his. "Takes the fall for you? I know you're not going to like this, but if I had to choose between my partner - my _friend_ \- and the man that has been trying to put us all behind bars, that arrested my husband in front of our little girl to try to get to me… there's no competition. I'll choose you every time,"

She watched a little clout drain from Ressler's face. "You didn't… or Tom? With Halcyon?"

"No," Liz answered firmly. "Trust me, Tom's had his hands full."

"Yeah, I heard." He sighed, looking worn and tired. "I don't know what to do about this, Keen. There doesn't seem to be a right answer. Even if I were to come forward, an investigation would put the Task Force right in the crosshairs all over again and Panabaker made it pretty clear she wasn't going to help us."

She reached forward, her hand touching his and her voice was gentle. "Sometimes there's not. We just have to do the best we can do in the impossible situations we're given."

"I can't sleep," Ressler confessed. "Every time I close my eyes I see it all over again. I've replayed it so many times in my head that I'm not sure anymore if I'm seeing what happened or what I _think_ happened. How do you move past something like that?"

She sighed, hating the answer, even though she knew it was true. "A lot of it comes down to time and… doing the best you can to try to balance the bad out with good. You just have to remember what we're fighting for."

"What if I can't?"

His voice was small, terrified, and she knew the fear better than she wanted to admit. "You can, and every time you think you can't, you dig in a little deeper, you work harder, and you focus on the people that are home and safe because of us. The Beth Rykers, the Kaja Tomczaks, and the Eathan Linleys." She paused, catching his eyes. "Agnes."

He grimaced a little. "Liz…"

"My daughter is home and safe and happy because you and the others fought just as hard as Tom and I did to get her there. Agnes is safe because of _you_ , so don't ever try to convince me you're not a good person."

She watched a thin smile slowly perk up and he gave a hollow chuckle. "I know better than to argue with you, Keen."

"Good."

"You packing up for the day?"

"Yeah. Tom has to make a surprise trip pop up. I'll have my cell, but I'll be home this afternoon and evening."

"Everything okay?"

Liz frowned at the thought. "I don't know yet. Scottie slipped away when Tom was trying to transfer her to Halcyon custody and it's been a mess since."

"I hate to ask, but did he-?"

"No."

"Not even a chance he's lying to protect you from it?"

"No," Liz repeated.

After a moment Ressler nodded. "Good luck to him. Seriously. The politics behind taking over the Task Force those few months were hellish enough. I don't even want to imagine what he's facing on it. If you… well, if you guys need anything, you know where I am."

She smiled, the expression real. "Thanks, Ress."

He offered her one of his little smirks as she moved past him. It was true that there was plenty falling down around their heads at the moment, but there was hope in the loyalties and friendships that they had. Liz was determined to hold onto that to keep herself afloat.

* * *

Solomon had not been happy when she had said she was going alone, but Scottie hadn't left it open for discussion. He may have been the one to uncover the information, but she had it now and this was personal. She didn't need nor want an audience for this.

Scottie Hargrave checked her gun one last time, dark eyes flickering up to look at the ratty old apartment building that she had been led to on her search. Her target might or might not know where Miles was, but they would be able to shed light on Christopher's disappearance. He was in the lion's den now, and she'd be damned if no one could tell where the lions were.

She spun, gun aimed as someone opened the passenger door to the car she sat in. Howard slipped into the seat next to her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "You are a conundrum, Scottie," her husband - ex husband? - told you matter of factly. "You know I'm good at picking actions apart, but this one makes no sense. I thought you'd be halfway around the planet now, settling into some new alias far away from us, but here you are, tracking down Eva and Frank Phelps. Why?" He tilted his head. "For heaven sakes, Scottie. Put the gun away. Do I look like I'm threatening you?"

"That's usually when you are," she growled, but lowered the gun anyway, her dark eyes scanning the street around them. "Where's your backup to arrest me?"

Howard made a small sound. "On hold. I know who you are, what you are, so why don't we drop all the pretense and be honest? What brought you here? What could these people possibly give you?"

Scottie straightened a little. "Answers," she said after a long moment. "They were hired by the people that took Christopher."

"Okay," he said slowly, that lazy sort of look in his eyes that he got when he didn't want someone to know what he was thinking. "And why now? With the federal government and Halcyon breathing down your neck."

Risk assessment had always been a talent of hers, and she pursed her lips together. He knew. Beyond a shadow of a doubt he knew that she was an operative, even if he was missing so many of the details.

This was Christopher's life. This was his young family's safety. Some things were worth the risk, and despite their marital problems, Scottie knew how much Howard had always loved their son.

"There's at least one person on the Board that reports to my organization. They'll kill him if they think it will get them what they want. The Phelps' can lead me to that person."

Howard sat there for a long moment as if he were processing what she was sailing and weighing it. "Alright."

Scottie blinked hard. "Alright what?"

He opened the door and motioned. "Don't waste time now. Let's go get what we need to protect our son."

* * *

Notes: I'm so excited to have Scottie and Howard working together. There's not a lot of trust, but the fact that it's Tom's life on the line helps.

Next time - Howard and Scottie look for answers, Tom has to face an aspect of his past, and Liz and Agnes are put in the crosshairs.


	18. Priorities

**Chapter Eighteen: Priorities**

He was making a deal with the devil to protect his child. That's what Howard Hargrave told himself. They had acknowledged that there might be eyes and ears within Halcyon, and he had a few he questioned himself.

The biggest selling point of Scottie's story was that staying stateside was dangerous for her. Nothing about what she was doing appeared to be helping her, so that left him with a high enough possibility that she was telling the truth that he was willing to take the risk.

That didn't mean he trusted her.

The apartment building was in shambles, half falling down and the residents looked spooked by their own shadows. It reminded Howard of the building Nez's dealers had lived in. Scottie produced a set of lockpicks and went to work, sending the door to apartment 2A swinging open.

The woman on the couch made a startled sound, looking like she might have been reaching for something to use as a weapon, but both Howard and Scottie had their guns trained and she raised her hands slowly.

"Eva Phelps," Scottie greeted, her voice sharp and dangerous.

"I don't know who that is. My name is Vickie. You can see it right on the mailbox down the hall."

"Your name may have changed, but you haven't," Scottie answered and Howard watched her lean down a little closer, effectively pinning her to where she sat. Eva Phelps looked terrified on the surface, but there was something just below that. Something only people like them might pick up on. It was a calculated fear, and Howard would have bet anything that Scottie saw through it too with the way she was pushing. "You took in a boy named Christopher Hargrave in 1988 and you changed his name to Jacob Phelps. You raised him because you were being paid to do so by Miles Ellington."

Eva Phelps froze at that name and Scottie's lips stretched just a little at the corners. "He's been looking for you, hasn't he? You haven't been a priority, but with everything that's happened, you will be. He'll be trying to tie up loose ends, but I got to you first."

"And what does that get me?" the other woman asked.

"A chance. A hope," Scottie corrected, "that you just might survive this. More than Frank got, wasn't it?" She stepped back, her gun still aimed in Eva's general direction, and Howard's gaze flickered to her very briefly. Frank Phelps was dead. Interesting. Even his sources hadn't turned that one up. Even this location was rented out to a husband and wife, as had all the others in Eva Phelps' string of rentals over the years. Her entire papertrail included what Howard had assumed - a dangerous thing to do in their line of work, he reminded himself - was an alias for Frank Phelps. Apparently it had been an attempt to throw people off the trail. "You're going to tell us everything and you're not going to lie. If you do, we _will_ know."

The woman that had raised their son until his teenage years nodded slowly, her gaze shifting back to Howard who lifted a curious eyebrow as she began very slowly. "Frank and I met Miles through a mutual contact. Billy. We owed Billy some money so he set it up so he'd get paid. He said he had a job for us that'd pay ten times what we owed him, so we met with Miles. He didn't give us a lot of details. He said it was better not to know and we agreed, but he said that there was a boy. If anyone found him, we'd be on the hook for everything we were paid. If he died or got away, same thing."

"Incentive to keep him alive and hidden," Howard mused.

"They wanted to use him for something," Eva answered with a shrug. "We agreed to the terms and we were set up with a house in Chicago, the money, and Frank got a cushy job. The kid showed up a week later."

"Was he hurt?"

Howard looked over to Scottie, a little surprised that her voice cracked with the question.

"Not that I could see. Nothing serious, at any rate. He might have been bruised, but nothing too bad. He wouldn't talk though. He just kept staring with those wide blue eyes and wouldn't say a damn thing. He would watch us everywhere we went and just…. Wouldn't stop." She paused, shaking her head a little and howard saw the way her fist clenched in irritation. "They told us to change his name to Jacob. He had no idea what his name was anyway, so he answered to that pretty quickly."

"He ran away at fourteen," Howard said and Eva's attention jerked over to him. "Why?"

"Why do teenage boys do anything? He never did like us."

"Remember what we said about lying," Scottie said, her head tilted just a little to the side.

"Frank had a drinking problem. He roughed him up every now and again. Nothing bad enough that we'd risk any real damage."

Howard resisted the urge to roll his eyes, pieces of the truth wrapped so deeply up in how she wanted to present it that it would be a wonder if there was any truth there at all. "How was he delivered?"

"Just a man."

"Describe him."

"Tall. Well dressed. He was blond… maybe a redhead. I don't remember many details. It's been nearly thirty years. Would you remember any details?"

"Every last one," Scottie answered sharply.

"Well I don't. Sucks for you, doesn't it? Go ahead and shoot me. Miles wouldn't have let me live if he found me, but he sure as hell won't now. Shoot me or call the cops."

"I think we have somewhere better for you," Howard answered and pulled his phone out and dialed a number.

The phone rang once, twice, and he was greeted by an irritable voice. " _I'm hoping you have a really good explanation. Tom's on his way_."

"I assumed he would be, but right now I need you to call in to the local police department to assist in an arrest."

" _Who were you tracking, Howard_?"

"A woman involved in my son's kidnapping. We're in 2A. Call it in and meet me up here." There was a long pause and Howard sighed. "I know I haven't been completely straight with you, Nez, and I understand your hesitation, but right now I need you to trust me."

There was a pause and then a sigh from the other end. " _Fine. I'm on my way up._ "

He ended the call and Scottie shot him a questioning look. "You didn't mention me."

"The moment I did all resources would have been fixed on bringing you in. She-" he motioned to Eva- "is the priority here."

Scottie nodded and started past him, but Howard reached out and caught her arm. "I expect you to tell me who Ellington is," he said very lowly.

"I'll be in touch." She paused very briefly. "Howard, she knows. Don't take any less for an answer."

He watched her go, and he knew his time was limited until Nez joined him. He caught Eva Phelps' gaze and held it, watching her swallow hard. "I've told you everything I know. I don't know who delivered him."

"I think you do," Howard said slowly, his smile just a little dangerous. "I never gave up on finding my boy. I've had investigators looking into it for years. I've seen his records. Police, social services, and medical." He let the last one sink in for half a beat. "I know everything you two did to him, Eva, even the things you didn't bother with a doctor for. I told you that you shouldn't lie to me."

* * *

By the time Tom arrived there were police cars parked outside of the old apartment building. That must have been why it had been so difficult to reach Nez. He climbed the stairs and froze when he saw who they were leading out of the apartment.

It had been fifteen years since he'd seen the woman's face. It had aged, but those grey eyes were still cold, dark hair now streaked silver, and she was grumbling and cursing the whole way down the hall, looking like she'd put up a fight somewhere along the way. The police that were escorting her stopped and she looked at him like she knew exactly who he was.

"Excuse us," the officer said, and Tom realized he'd paused at the top of the stairs, blocking their exit.

He watched Eva Phelps watch him from the corner of her eye as she passed by, but the sound of his name drew his attention down the hall. Nez motioned him in and he found Howard going through a bag that contained cash, ID's, and a gun on the coffee table in what must have been the Phelps' livingroom. He swallowed hard. "Someone want to fill me in?"

"A new lead presented itself," Howard said as he sorted through thing things he had found. Someone had given him gloves to keep his own fingerprints off of it. Well, at least the fact that they weren't hauling him off too meant that Nez had been able to keep his little field trip quiet. The last thing they needed was to add one more complication to the whole mess.

"You're going to have to give me more than that. What does Eva Phelps have to do with this?"

His father looked up, blinking hard as if pulling himself from what he'd been doing. "Ms Phelps was hired by a man named Miles Ellington to hide you away after you were taken as a child."

The words rolled off his tongue so easily that they might as well have been talking about a case that meant nothing to them personally, but Tom felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach. "She what?"

"Mm. This Ellington-"

"I don't know who that is."

"Neither do I yet, but we will. Ellington, it would seem, has a connection of some sort to your mother. He paid the Phelps' to adopt you and keep you hidden. When you ran at fourteen and they couldn't track you down, they did their best to disappear. It sounds like Ellington killed Frank, but we got to Eva before he could." He looked up and his expression was focused. "We're getting close, Tom."

"You should never have chased the lead down yourself. You're supposed to be under house arrest. If the Board finds out-"

"They won't."

"Why didn't you bring this to me?"

"There wasn't time."

"What are you not saying, Howard?" Nez asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leveling a glare at her mentor.

Howard looked just a little sheepish and relented. "Scottie tracked her down and I had eyes and ears on the lookout for her."

"Why the hell is she still in the country?" Nez demanded.

"My question exactly. I knew that if she was going to Eva, there had to be a reason."

"And what was that reason? Where's Scottie now?"

Clear blue eyes glanced back over at Tom and his father tried for a reassuring smile. "This was more important, son. You'll have to trust me on that. Your mother believes there is someone on the Board that was involved with your disappearance. The man that delivered you to the Phelps' home for this man that orchestrated all of this."

Tom tilted his head a little. "And you believe her?"

"I believe that there's a reason she stayed when she could have slipped away and never looked back. She knew that the Board would tie us up and that they'd never have the know-how to find her themselves. She could have used that and she could have vanished, yet here she was looking for answers about your disappearance."

"What are you saying?" Nez asked carefully. "You of all people trust Scottie now?"

Howard choked out a laugh. "Absolutely not, but that doesn't mean that her motives aren't… complicated."

"Okay, so for the sake of argument, let's say Scottie was right and there's someone on the Board that is some sort of mole," Nez said pointedly, shooting Tom a look that he was sure was supposed to remind him that she'd been trying to get him to look at that angle for a while now. "How do we proceed without tipping them off?"

"Eva Phelps knows who it is," Howard said. "She won't say yet, but she knows."

"Have her transferred to a blacksite, not to headquarters," Tom said firmly. "Once she understands that we're all she has, she'll fold. It won't take much. Howard, get back home before the Board hears that you're out. Do you have any idea where Scottie went?"

"No."

"Did she say anything?"

His gaze darted past Tom and his voice dropped just a little. "That she'd be in touch with details on Ellington."

"You think she will be?"

Howard paused just a moment, his brows drawing together. "Twenty-four hours ago I would have told you I knew exactly what your mother was playing towards. Now… I'm not sure."

The honest confession helped to ease at least a little of the frustration Tom was feeling towards him at the moment, but certainly not all of it. "If she gets in touch with you, I want to know. You want me to trust you on this, Dad, give me a reason to. Please."

"I'll call you."

Tom nodded. "Thank you. You need an escort or can you get back in on your own?"

"I'll be able to slip in easier on my own. Take Nez with you to handle Eva."

He wasn't sure he wanted anyone in the room with him when he faced Eva Phelps, but if someone needed to be there, at least it would be someone he trusted. Tom nodded and motioned to Nez. They had to move quickly before something else blew up in their face.

* * *

Howard had told him several months ago that his entire life had prepared him for what was ahead with Scottie and Halcyon, but Tom didn't think that even his father had known just how much that was turning out to be true.

Tom had never liked Frank and Eva. They were cold on their best days, cruel on any other. He thought he remembered crying over it early on. He'd been young and terrified. The first couple of years in their home were vague at best, so he couldn't quite pinpoint the day he'd realized that crying wasn't going to help him. Somewhere along the way it'd become clear that the only way he was going to survive the experience was to bury what he was feeling - even what he was thinking - as deep as he could. He had to be stronger than them. He had to be tougher than them. Then, when that hadn't worked, he'd decided that he just had to be smarter than them. That had been much easier when all was said and done.

The name Halcyon Aegis pulled a lot of weight in law enforcement for being a private organization. Eva Phelps was delivered to a blacksite that they had and Tom squared his shoulders as he entered, guards moving out of his way and Nez following in just behind him. He made sure his mask of indifference was firmly in place before he entered, mind focused on everything that they'd uncovered so far in that hellhole that she'd been living in.

She was cuffed to a chair in the middle of a room and Nez stopped at the door just inside, Tom moving forward and holding Eva's gaze. "I want a lawyer," she told him firmly.

"I'm not a cop. You don't get a lawyer."

That seemed to startle her and she squinted against the shadowy room at him. "I'll be damned. I thought it might be you. Come back for something, Jacob? You missed Frank by a good eight years."

"But you got away. We found your go-bag. There was enough in there to slip away at a moment's notice. Too bad you didn't have a moment's notice, isn't it? Tell me about the man that brought me to you and Frank."

"I'm not telling you anything. What are you going to do, you little punk?"

Tom snorted, the taunt nowhere near her best, but she was rattled. Good. "Okay, then this is how it's going to work. I'm going to give you up to the police. You'll get a lawyer, but you're also going to get your name and the details of who has you in custody plastered all over the television. How long do you think you're going to last? I can tell you that whoever these people are… they have people on the inside. Scottie found them. My guess is that you will too, and you're a hell of a lot less useful to them alive than she was."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Really? That's where you think I'll draw the line? Eva, I'll toss you to the wolves faster than you can blink. You can rot in hell for all I care. Give me something to convince me not to and you might get out of this in one piece."

The woman that he'd hated for so many years gave a dry laugh. "You are your mother's son, aren't you? Halcyon can't protect me. These people are in Halcyon."

"Halcyon may not be able to, but we can," Nez said from behind Tom and Eva's gaze shifted back to her, the wheels turning as she considered her options.

"I don't remember his name, but he was a friend of Susan and Howard Hargraves'. Someone in their company they trusted. Someone you knew. Tall, redheaded -"

"McKinney," Tom breathed.

"That sounds right."

"Don't move," he told her sharply and motioned for Nez to step outside with him. He closed the door behind them and kept his voice hushed. "We need to handle this now."

"How exactly do you want to do that? McKinney holds almost as much power in the company as you do right now and a hell of a lot more trust with the other Board members. I'd say go to the feds with it, but Lamb's still out of commission after Scottie's escape."

"We're not going to the New York branch. I'm calling Liz. She's been wanting to help. This is how we do it."

"You'll be putting a bullseye on her."

"She's already got one with this. Looping her in keeps her safer. Give me a minute to make the call and I want you to secure Eva here. No one takes her."

"Got it."

Tom stepped away, pulling his cell from his pocket and hitting the speed dial. " _Keen_."

"It's me. Where are you?"

" _Agnes and I are making a dinner run. Everything okay? Did you find Howard_?"

"Yeah. He chased after Scottie, who was tracking down Eva Phelps."

" _Your adopted mother Eva Phelps_?"

"Same one."

" _Why_?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you everything, but we've got a problem that we're going to need your help with if Cooper'd be willing."

" _What's going on_?"

"We just got ahold of some evidence that one of Halcyon's leading Board members is dirty. Might have even been part of my kidnapping. Albert McKinney."

" _I met him the other day after Scottie got away. I knew something was off about that man. Cooper'll want to talk to you and get all the details, but I bet we can convince him to help."_

"Good. I had Eva transferred to a blacksite in DC to make it easier. Go straight to the Post Office and I'll meet you-"

The sound of shouting and tires squealing from the other side of the phone caused him to swallow the rest of the sentence and for just a moment everything slowed nearly to a stop as he listened to what was happening without being able to do a damn thing to stop it. There was a crash and everything went silent. "Liz? Liz!"

Nothing. Tom pulled the phone away from his ear to see the call was still connected, but his wife wasn't answering his shouts. The phone was still active though.

He ended the call and Dumont answered two rings later. "It's Tom. I need you to trace Liz's cell phone and send an ambulance."

" _What? Why_?"

"I think she was just in a wreck. Send me her location as soon as you have it."

" _On its way, boss_ ," Dumont answered. " _Good luck_."

Tom didn't answer as he took off in a full sprint to the vehicle they'd come in, his wife and little girl's location on his texts and praying to whoever might be listening that he wasn't too late.

* * *

Notes: Someone left a review saying that they hoped that someone had a detail on Liz and all I could do was smile because this chapter had already been written. I'm so glad that you guys seem to be enjoying this! I love getting to wrap the Redemption group and the main show's group together and work with all the various characters, and teaming Scottie and Howard up has been more fun than even I expected, and I had some pretty high hopes there. Definitely more of that to come.

Next time - Scottie makes good on her promise, the blacksite comes under attack, and Tom finds himself in more trouble than he expected.


	19. Problems Arise

**Chapter Nineteen: Problems Arise**

Howard slipped back into his home without too much trouble. The guards that had gone out of their way to cover for him would be well compensated and he'd gotten a new lead: Miles Ellington.

The sun had long-since set outside and Howard moved through the shadowy, empty house towards his study. He paused at the door, eyes narrowed just a little at the pair of legs he saw kicked up on his side desk and the chair swiveled around to reveal his wife holding the ankle tracker that the Board had given him. "I'm impressed. These things are almost tamper proof, but you've been redirecting this feed for hours."

"I did design the thing," Howard grumbled and held his hand out for it. "Give me one good reason why I don't call the guards in here to arrest you."

"Because I'm no good to you or Christopher in jail."

"And you expect me to believe that you're just here to help? After everything you've done?"

"You're not exactly a saint, Howard," she snapped, finally sitting up straight and tossing the tracker at him.

"I didn't have our son beat to hell to find out what he knew, did I?"

She bristled just a little at that. "I did what I had to to keep him _alive_ , Howard. Do you think I enjoyed it?"

He snorted, moving to prop his foot up so that he could reset the tracker.

"I didn't," she pressed after a moment. "I didn't enjoy having him hurt to save him and I didn't try to have you killed."

"Then who did, Scottie?"

"Miles Ellington."

He straightened, watching her watch him. "Start talking."

She squared her shoulders and tilted her chin up. "I grew up with him. Our fathers were in business together."

"Doing what?"

There was half a beat of silence and Howard thought she would try to dance around it. After the moment had passed, though, she pulled in a deep breath. "Project Soft Rain."

Howard stared at her a long moment. He knew that name. Even he hadn't been able to get the full records, but he'd researched what he could of it as part of a paper he'd written years before on ethics in the intelligence community. It had been a government program that had had its funding cut, but as far as Howard could tell it had been an experiment on nature and nurtured as it pertained to the children of spies. It delved into the idea that a child that met certain conditions would be more predisposed to a successful career in intelligence and that early training could, theoretically, build an entire new generation of spies. The idea had been fascinating on a theoretical level, but practically it had made Howard sick. Especially as he'd sat in the rocker in his son's room late at night, holding his newborn little boy, and considered someone trying to do that to him.

He pushed down that same nauseating feeling that was building now as he thought back on the St Regis program that his son _had_ been raised in.

Howard closed his eyes, bracing himself. He'd been looking for answers about his wife, and he knew he couldn't find them all. Some would have to come from her, and there she sat, supposedly willing to give them, and he found himself terrified of the full truth.

Finally a pair of clear blue eyes re-opened and he moved to pull a chair up, sitting at the opening of the three piece desk and he sat back. There were no promises on either end, just a chance to listen and see where it took them. After over thirty years of marriage, at least there was that.

Scottie spoke. Her voice was steady and even when she halted she found a way to move forward. She spoke briefly of her father, of his research, and admitted to being raised in the program both under government sanction and beyond. Her focus was on Miles Ellington that currently ran the program. He was intelligent, a strategist. They had spent their youth in a consistent chess game against each other, matching wits and intellects. Sometimes she came out on top, sometimes he did. Neither had held anything close enough to lose. There were no stakes too high. Not then.

Howard listened, letting his wife's story sink in. "Whose idea was it for you to marry me?"

The question was the first he'd asked since Scottie had started in and she paused for a moment. "Mine."

"Why?"

She shook her head, a mirthless chuckle leaving her. "You were so idealistic when we met, Howard. I thought that you were either lying or someone was going to twist you up so badly that you'd lose your way. I was…" She swallowed hard. "I wasn't supposed to be the one to do that to you."

Silence filled the study and he saw her blink rapidly, clearing her vision. "Then Christopher was born and I wasn't going to leave. I didn't think for a moment that Miles would ever go that far, but he made it clear that he'd left him alive and if I stepped out of line he was going to kill him."

"The car accident."

She gave a thin, struggling smile. "I knew it was my fault, Howard. I was… terrified that you would find out and hate me as much as I did. As much as you do now. I never could have gotten through that time without you. After everything, you should know that." She sighed. "They made it clear when I woke up in the hospital that they had him and that his life was dependent on me doing my job."

Howard let the silence fill the room again, sorting through his own thoughts privately. Finally he pulled in a heavy breath. "Look me in the eye, Scottie, and tell me how far you're willing to go to make this right."

She met his gaze. "I can't ever make this right, Howard. We both know that. All I can do is try to protect him now in any way that I can."

Howard nodded slowly, accepting the answer. "You screw us on this, Scottie, and I won't hesitate. You won't make it to prison, do you understand me?"

She nodded slowly, the threat not pulling any visible fear from her.

He gave himself just a moment and then cleared his throat. "Alright. We've got a bit before I expect to hear from Tom about Eva Phelps. Fill me in on what you can bring to the table for this."

* * *

The ambulances were already there when Tom arrived at the cross streets that Dumont had given him. He felt his chest tighten at the sight of his wife's SUV bent around. He barely had the engine shut off of his own vehicle as he piled out, a police officer immediately stopping him. "Sir, you can't-"

"The hell I can't. That's my wife and little girl," Tom snapped in return.

He pushed past the man and into the fray. He saw Liz sitting on a stretcher, blood caked to the side of her face and a paramedic looking her over. He didn't immediately see Agnes, but Liz must have seen him because she called out and waved him over. "Do I even want to know how you got here so quick?"

"Had Dumont track your cell," he answered, his words clipped. "Are you okay? Agnes?"

"Agnes is alright. They're checking her over to be safe, but she was on the other side from the impact and her car seat kept her safe."

"And you?" he asked, doing his best to stand back and let the paramedic do what he needed to to make sure Liz was alright.

"Yeah, just a little woozy."

"We're going to take her to the hospital just to run a few tests to be safe," the man working on her said.

Liz offered him a tired smile and reached out. He took her hand and she squeezed. "Tom, that wasn't an accident. They hit us on purpose."

He pulled her hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss to scraped knuckles and squeezing his eyes closed hard. "I'm going to go check on Agnes. I'll have someone come get my car. I'm riding with you guys to the hospital."

The fact that she nodded, not bothering to argue told him just how shaken up she really was. "Love you."

"You too. It's going to be okay, babe. I'm going to make sure it is."

" _We_ will," she reminded him firmly and he tried for a smile.

"Be right back," he promised and squeezed her hand again before releasing it to start towards Agnes. He could see her just across the way, a woman making her laugh as she checked her over.

He was halfway across a small open space between two ambulances when he stumbled. It took half a beat before he realized that he hadn't just tripped, but that he was still falling forward. Tom's knees hit the asphalt as he caught himself on the palms of his hands before he went all the way down and he remained there for a moment, trying to piece together exactly how he'd managed to pitch forward with nothing in his path but smooth road. It took just a moment for him to gain his bearings enough to hear Liz shouting his name and he rocked back, the movement bringing a sharp pain into focus. He grimaced as his hand went to his side and came back bloodied.

"Tom!" Liz called again and she was next to him, hands on his shoulders and holding him steady.

"I'm okay. I think I'm okay."

"You're bleeding. You're not okay. Where the hell did that shot come from?"

He grit his teeth as he tried to start to his feet. "I don't know, but we're out in the open."

There was someone on his other side now, trying to help him, but he waved them off as he heard the police already on site from the wreck shouting about the shooter. "We'll get you into the second ambulance and you'll meet your wife and daughter at the hospital," the paramedic said.

"I'm fine," Tom argued. They'd just taken caused a wreck with his wife and child and taken a shot at him in the middle of the street. He needed to get the situation under control, not be shoved in the back of an ambulance to be poked and prodded and stitched. That could wait.

" _Tom_ ," his wife stressed, her voice low and sharp.

He turned to Liz and frowned. He knew that tone. She'd stay if he kept arguing and the next shot might hit her or Agnes and he wasn't willing to risk that. "Fine," he grumbled, letting himself be shuffled off to the ambulance.

There hadn't been any other shots, he realized as he took a heavy seat on the gurney in the middle of the ambulance. He tugged at the bottom of his shirt, wincing as it pulled against bloodied and torn skin. The good news was that it looked like it wasn't too deep, meaning that a few stitches and he'd be done. That didn't help his irritation at being toted off to the hospital, though. He pulled out his cell phone to at least update his team and have Dumont start searching through traffic videos and anything else he could find, but as soon as an EMT stepped into the back with him, he plucked the phone from his hands. "Hey," Tom growled.

"Take it easy, Mr Keen. I need you to lie back."

"It's fine, really," he argued even as someone on his other side eased him down and he jerked hard as he felt them press an IV into place. "Seriously, guys, it nicked me. I'll need a few stitches and be as good as new."

"Please just relax."

Tom blinked, feeling his vision going a little fuzzy. He hadn't lost nearly enough blood for that. Instincts kicked in and he started to sit up. Strong hands pushed him back down. "Kick up the dosage. We can't have him fighting us."

This was a set up. They'd gone after Liz and Agnes to get to him. All he could hope for as the drugs they were pushing through his system, pulling him under against his will, was that they wouldn't get his family too.

* * *

Liz's first priority had been settling Agnes down. The nurses had offered to take her, but the moment that Liz got the all clear she'd scooped her daughter up and held her close. Between the wreck, all the strangers, and the rush as the sniper had taken a shot she hadn't stopped crying until just a few minutes before when she'd fallen asleep curled up in her mother's arms. Liz was bouncing her as she stepped towards the hall to flag down a nurse. "Hey? Hi. My husband was brought in with us. Tom Keen. Could you let me know what's going on with him?"

"I'll check on him for you," the nurse answered with a smile.

Agnes began to fuss as Liz heard her phone buzzing in her purse. She shifted her daughter to lean over and get it, seeing Aram's name next to a text checking on her, saying they'd gotten some sort of alert in the system.

She was doing her best to type a response as the nurse from a moment before stuck her head back in. "Ms Keen? I'm sorry, but we haven't admitted a Tom Keen in this hospital."

"That's impossible. They said we were be transferred to the same hospital."

"I'm sorry, but he's not here. Not as a patient."

"Thank you," she said with a forced smile and waited until the nurse was gone before she set Agnes down on the bed. "I may kill your daddy if he skipped out on the trip to the hospital," she sighed. She dialed his number and his phone rolled immediately to voicemail. She frowned. Even if he had managed to somehow convince the EMTs he was okay and didn't need to go to the hospital, he wouldn't turn his phone off. Not with what had just happened. He would have sauntered into where they were as soon as he'd set whoever he needed after the shooter with that smile of his that he thought made him look innocent. She knew better. She always knew better.

But he wasn't there. His phone was off.

It could be nothing, or at least something with a reasonable explanation attached to it. It was late and she was shaken and she'd be embarrassed when he walked in... Better safe than sorry, she decided as she hit the call button rather than text. With them, a little paranoia was well earned. Anyway, he would have no room to tease her if everything was alright. He'd just done the same to find her. "Aram, I need you to trace Tom's phone."

* * *

It was a waiting game, and while Nez knew that she was where she needed to be, she hated waiting games. Things were moving around her so fast that she could barely keep up, and something about the timing of Liz's car accident didn't set well with her. She understood why Tom wanted her there to guard Eva Phelps - a woman that could, theoretically, hold many more secrets if properly motivated into telling them - but that didn't mean it wasn't boring as hell.

Nez lingered by the one-way glass, watching the woman that had helped keep Tom from his parents. Nez hadn't pried and Tom didn't seem inclined to talk a lot about his upbringing. Nez knew that it hadn't been pleasant and that he'd received deep cover training at a very young age, but other than that the details were spotty at best. All she knew was that if Eva Phelps walked from this somehow, she'd be hardpressed to let her get too far.

"Ma'am?"

She turned, finding a young guard that had been stationed at the blacksite. "Yeah?"

"You told me to let you know if there was anything out of the ordinary. Not sure if it is, and honestly, if you hadn't said anything we probably wouldn't have even noticed it…"

"Show me." Even if it was nothing, it'd do her some good to move away from the woman behind the glass.

"Some of our sensors were picking up a weird frequency," the guard explained as the walked down the corridor. "It could just be interference, but-"

"I'd rather check it out and it be nothing than the opposite be true," Nez agreed. "You military? What branch?"

"Yes ma'am. Army Special Forces. Just got back a few months ago and got the job offer from Halcyon."

Nez's lips quirked at the corners. "How do you like it so far?"

"It's quieter."

"That a good or a bad thing?"

"I'll let you know when I decide, ma'am," he answered with a small smile.

They didn't have any warning. In fact, it took Nez a moment to register that she was lying on the floor, her ears ringing and her vision just coming back into focus. She shook her head, but that only made it worse. She looked at the gaping hole where the outer wall of the blacksite had been and over to the Special Forces member she'd been walking with who had caught the brunt of the blast. She started to pick herself up off the hard, concrete floor and made it as far as her knees when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.

She couldn't move fast enough to completely avoid the boot that came swinging towards her and she rolled, the new bruises added to the ones that she already had. She pushed the pain back, rolling to her feet, and was able to dodge the next blow, swinging around and shoving him back to put distance between them.

Her ears were still ringing or she would have heard the person come up behind her. They got a handle on her though, one large arm under her chin and cutting off her air. She got one good elbow into the ribs, nearly breaking loose, but then the first man pulled a gun on her. "Nez Rowan. Keen's partner, right? I think it's time to send a message the Scottie's son."

"Who the hell are you people?" Nez managed, feeling the chokehold tighten.

The man smirked. "Doesn't matter. Not to you, at any rate."

A shot went off and Nez blinked hard. It hadn't been his gun that went off. She reacted on instinct, slamming back hard and using the surprise that his cohort had been shot to knock the man behind her loose. She ducked, avoiding being caught again bobbed down to kick out, hearing a satisfying pop with the force that she'd slammed her steel-toed boot into her would-be captor's kneecap. She grabbed for the gun he'd dropped and had it aimed, still crouched to the ground, and a slow smile spread when she saw who'd taken down the other man. "Mattie. Just couldn't stay away."

Matias Solomon offered her a charming smile and a hand that she took. "I told you Keen was going to get you killed."

"And yet here I am."

"Because of me."

"I would have had him."

"Don't I know it?" His gaze swept the corridor. "Phelps."

Nez paused half a beat before shaking her head. There were only two reasons he would know about Eva Phelps, and she refused to believe he was playing her. "You _did_ break Scottie out. Tom thought he saw you there." She motioned down the way.

Solomon flashed an amused smile. "Did he?"

They rounded to the containment room and Nez felt a chill sweep through her at the unnatural way Eva Phelps' head was hanging. There was no sign of anyone else in the room, but as they entered there was no doubt.

Solomon tilted her head back and frowned at the hole between her eyes. "This was well planned."

"He has to know."

"Who?"

"McKinney."

Dark brown eyes blinked curiously. "You found the mole then," he mused, bending down. "Well, at least there's that."

"She didn't have a phone on her when I left her here," Nez murmured as she caught sight of the silver phone between his long fingers.

Solomon flipped it open and frowned. "I think this was left for whoever survived," he said, turning it so Nez could see the screen.

A picture had been texted to the phone and she recognized the subject immediately. Tom was tied to what looked like a gurney, gaze unfocused and head lulling to one side. Just below the picture were the words

 _We need to meet_. - _E_

He snapped the phone closed. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

All of his usual amusement had been pushed aside as he started for the door. "To deliver a message."

* * *

He came around in stages, and it took him a couple of tries to piece together what had happened. Slowly it came back. The wreck, his attempt to get to his family, the sniper in the street...

Tom winced as he shifted, finding himself strapped down to a hard chair. He blinked, a few of the shadows in the room clearing from his vision, and moved so he could get a better view of his side. Blood soaked the side of his shirt, dried and stuck to him, and the movement caused it to pull uncomfortably, but not so bad that he thought he was in any real danger from the injury itself.

The thugs that had taken him? That was another story.

A door opened just beyond where he was sitting and he saw two men enter. The first was tall, lean, and his hair was a stark white colour, his eyes cold and calculating, but just a little curious as he drew closer. His thin lips twitched downward in question and Tom looked him up and down to see he was dressed in a suit. Likely not his would-be torturer, but it was possible he was the man holding the strings.

The second man he did recognize and Tom smirked. "Al," he greeted, his voice dripping with sarcastic cheer, "imagine seeing you here."

"Bring back some memories?" the Board member asked and Tom clenched his jaw just a little as McKinney smirked at him. The older man snorted and shook his head. "You've been a lot of trouble over the years. I should have drowned you when I had the chance."

"Trust me, I'll make you regret that you didn't at least once more," Tom swore, a slow smile stretching his lips. This wasn't his first interrogation or even his first torture session. He knew how to play this game.

The other man took a step closer, his gaze piercing as it looked him up and down. "It's good you didn't," he said. "He still can be useful." Tom jerked back, as the man reached forward, his grip around his chin forcing him to look up at him. "You may look more like Howard, but there's a great deal of your mother in you as well. One move towards your family and you came running. Now you'll help me bring Scottie in out of the cold."

"And why do you think I'd help you do anything?"

"Because you don't have a choice. You're not leaving this place, but Scottie will come for you."

"She's long gone by now. She wouldn't risk her freedom for me."

"Would you rest if someone took your child?" A slow smile stretched his lips. "She's closer than you think. I've known her most of our lives and she's never disappointed when you're the one at stake."

Tom watched the man turn and he cleared his throat. "Who are you?" he called after him, even though he was fairly sure he already knew.

The man stopped at the door, and there was something unnerving about the look in his eyes as he turned. "Miles Ellington," he said before stepping out the door, McKinney following behind him, reaching out for the lightswitch as he did and plunging the room into darkness, closing the door behind them.

* * *

Notes: Oh Tom. Smarting off to captors. This is why they beat on him :P

Next time - Liz meets her mother-in-law, Tom fights back, and Reddington and Liz have a heart to heart.


	20. Plans and Promises

**Chapter Twenty: Plans and Promises**

She hadn't slept the night before. Aram had managed to ping Tom's phone and they had found it in the side of the road. It had taken longer than it should have to get in contact with Nez, but she finally picked up just as the sun was coming up towards the horizon. Tom had been taken and they were convening at Howard Hargrave's home in New York. They hadn't given her many details over the phone, but nothing about the situation was good. She and Agnes had been used to get Tom where they wanted him to be to take him, and that left her feeling the nauseating mixture of angry and terrified for her family, but she hadn't been able to do a thing about it until she was certain Agnes was safe and hidden away.

She may have been angry at Reddington, but his had been the first number that she had called. Just because his resources were more limited now than they had been before didn't mean that he couldn't find a safe, out-of-the-way location for Agnes to stay in while this new storm blew over. She needed to be somewhere and with someone that knew the dangers that they were facing, and Red would know how to do that. He'd come as soon as she had called, never questioning it, and hadn't pushed for any details that weren't needed then and there. Instead he'd taken the fussy little girl in his arms, picked up her bear, and promised to keep her safe.

Now Liz stood outside of a large home that her husband might have grown up in had these people not stolen him away. Nez hadn't said on the phone, but she would bet that those same people that Scottie Hargrave worked for were responsible for Tom's disappearance.

She squeezed her eyes shut just a moment, trying to push back the headache lingering from the car wreck. Finally blue eyes popped back open and she rapped her knuckles against the large, wood door.

There was a long pause before it opened, revealing her father-in-law on the other side. "Liz," he greeted. "Come in. Are you alright? Nez told us about the wreck."

"Agnes and I are both okay, just sore. What do you guys have? Nez couldn't tell me much over the phone, but Tom said that you guys had found the mole."

Howard motioned for her to follow him and he led her back through the house. "One of them, and he has a lot of access to Halcyon surveillance. We're playing it safe until we have a way forward."

"What kind of organization are we dealing with that goes through all this trouble to take him? And why?" Liz asked as she followed him back into a study.

"Miles always did like his flare."

Liz stopped abruptly at the door, staring at the collection of people. She'd expected Nez and Dumont, but the sight of Scottie Hargrave and Matias Solomon was unsettling. "What the hell-?"

"Agent Keen. It's been a while. How's that precious little girl of yours?" Solomon asked with an obnoxious smile that set Liz's temper on edge.

"Enough," Howard snapped. "Scottie has been filling us in on the organization that she worked for. Everything Tom wanted to find out from her, just here where McKinney and the rest of them can't get their paws on the intel."

"And you trust them?" Liz demanded, her glare shifting from Solomon who was still grinning to Scottie who was seated very quietly in an overstuffed chair. Liz hadn't actually met her mother-in-law yet, but she had heard plenty of things about her. There was certainly enough to question if she had been responsible for all of this.

"To a degree," Howard answered. "You know all about making deals with the devils you don't trust to get what you need."

Liz turned her glare on him and he flashed an innocent smile that she'd seen on her husband's face over the years.

"Elizabeth," Scottie said slowly, "I understand the distrust. If you weren't wary, you probably wouldn't be very good at your job, but we have a common goal. My son has been taken by the same people that took him thirty years ago to keep me in line. I _won't_ lose him to them again."

Liz watched her carefully, noting every twitch and every breath she took. She weighed the words against the tone and the speech patterns, all of her training coming in to carefully consider Susan Hargrave. Finally she turned her attention to Nez. "What do we have?"

Her husband's partner nodded, taking the cue. "Eva Phelps is dead. Our blacksite was attacked and she was killed. A burner phone was left with her body, a text already waiting on it with proof of life."

"I'm still working on tracing the signal," Dumont said from his place behind his laptop at Howard's oversized desk. "It's bouncing all over the place. Whoever they have handling it is good."

"Better than you and Aram combined?"

Dumont blinked at her. "Would he be willing?"

"We do not need to bring the feds into this," Solomon piped up from his place. "You're more than enough of that."

"My team is good, and Tom and I were going to them before the wreck. I trust them. He trusts them. We're going to need help with this if Halcyon resources are limited."

Howard nodded. "I agree."

"Then it's settled. I'll reach out to Cooper and we'll put a plan together."

Liz turned to step out and make the call, but she paused at the quiet footsteps that followed her. "Elizabeth, I'm afraid we've gotten off on the wrong foot," Scottie said quietly and Liz wasn't fooled.

"What gave you that idea? The fact that you nearly killed me and my daughter, having Solomon shoot up Tom's and my wedding? Or maybe the fact that I pushed Tom to trust you because you're his _mother_ and should have chosen him over _everything_ , but you had Solomon beat the hell out of him? Or that you set up a dangerous jailbreak that put federal agents in the ICU and my husband in the medical wing at Halcyon? At every turn you've proven that you have no problem throwing him to the wolves to get what you want, so please, Scottie, tell me why this time is different."

The older woman straightened. "Everything I've done has been for him. Even when I wasn't sure if he was alive or not. Even when they stopped sending proof. I hoped. A small part of me hoped, and everything I did was to protect my family."

There was a fierceness that worked its way into her voice that reminded Liz of Tom in the moments when people questioned his loyalties to she and Agnes. If that was an indication that she was telling the truth or Liz just wanted her to be, she wasn't sure, so she leveled her own dangerous look at her mother-in-law. "I hope that's true, because if you betray him or any of us, I'll make sure they drop you in a hole so deep and so dark that you won't remember what the sun looks like."

She spun on her heel and dialed Cooper's number.

* * *

Tom jerked awake out of the dream, soaking wet and shivering. He blinked hard, trying to clear his vision and decide if he were actually awake or if it was just a new level of the nightmare.

The face of the man shoving him under the water appeared over him, but he wasn't on the beach. He was being hauled to his feet by a thug on either side as McKinney tossed a newly empty bucket to the side, balled his fist, and hit Tom hard enough to drive the breath out of him. Tom choked and cough, bent over as far as he could with the grip they had on his arms. Once he was able, a breathless sort of chuckle left him. "So you try to drown little kids and have to have the person you're beating on restrained. You're a real badass, you know that?"

The next blow had been expected, but it was hard enough to know that he'd hit a nerve. He pulled in a struggling breath, his knees a little unsteady under him. "What? Can't handle a fair fight?"

McKinney snorted. "I know more about your record than most. That fight wouldn't be fair."

Tom watched the older man. "Yeah, and what do you think you know?"

"A hell of a lot more than you do. You think Bill McCready found you by accident?"

Dark blue eyes focused in on the man standing before him, a cold, sinking feeling clawing at his chest. He didn't say anything in response and McKinney smirked. "Good old Bill McCready. He had no idea who you were. No hint that you were Scottie Hargrave's son, but you were right up his alley. He would have wanted something for his efforts if we'd asked him to keep an eye on you for us, but instead we handed him a file mixed in with a few others and asked for a favour to cover our tracks."

"You people put me through St Regis," Tom managed, his throat suddenly going dry.

"We needed you alive, but you'd made it clear that the Phelps' weren't going to work out. St Regis suited you better than we could have ever hoped." A cruel sort of smile perked his lips as he leaned forward. "Wouldn't it have been ironic if the day had come to put Scottie down and we'd hired you to do it?"

Without warning Tom lunged forward, his head slamming hard into McKinney's and sending him reeling back. The two guards that were supposed to keep him under control jerked him backwards and one threw him up against a wall. Adrenaline was kicking in and he dodged the blow meant for him, bobbing to his left and coming around, using momentum to slam the man into the unmoving wall. He crumbled to the floor and Tom turned to the other one. He smirked, motioning for him to give it his best try and the second man came swinging. Tom was able to dodge the first and then the second blow, giving one in return that looked like it made the other man see stars, but he felt a prickly pain between his shoulderblades and he reached back, finding a dart there. Ellington stood at the door, watching him as his knees turned to rubber and gave beneath him.

"I had him," McKinney growled.

"You didn't have him when he was four years old. What makes you think you had him now?" Ellington answered. "If you let him get away this time and it'll be your head."

When Tom had sunk entirely to the floor, he wasn't sure, but he watched as a pair of polished shoes moved towards him. He couldn't move, his body going numb quicker than it should have and he blinked hard, trying to grab onto anything that would keep him conscious.

Ellington nudged him with his foot. "Smile for the camera." There was a flash and Tom blinked again, this time trying to focus his gaze.

"All you're doing is giving her time," McKinney said, his voice irritable and Tom couldn't quite make his face out now.

"Scottie used up her last chance and she knows it. She'll come for him. She won't risk losing him permanently."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know her."

The last words sounded like they were being spoken down a long tunnel and Tom was drifting in the opposite direction. He lost his battle with consciousness and slipped down into the murky depths.

* * *

Not one person in the room - save maybe Solomon - trusted her. Scottie could feel the discomfort stemming from her presence, but Elizabeth Keen had just had to bring her team from the FBI in on this matter. All they were going to do was make things more difficult. She'd called them out on their selective morality before, but she'd been in a position of power then. Now they were, and she had little interest in fighting enemies on two fronts.

"What can you tell us about Miles Ellington?" Harold Cooper asked and Scottie's gaze flickered over to him.

"Quite a bit, I should imagine. From my understanding the two of them grew up together."

All eyes turned to the entrance of the living room that they had relocated to to accommodate the number of people now brainstorming how best to get themselves killed and Scottie's eyes narrowed just a little. "Who invited you?"

"Your husband? Ex husband? Howard," Raymond Reddington answered flippantly and he offered a quick look towards Elizabeth, some kind of silent conversation exchanged between her sharp look and his smile. Finally she seemed to relent on whatever she was trying to get across and sat back in her chair hard.

"Red may not have his old resources, but he has enough information locked away that something is likely to be useful," Howard answered with a shrug and his gaze moved to meet Scottie's. "And we need a way to confirm what you're saying."

"You needed someone to trust and you called Raymond Reddington? I was right. You are delusional."

"Aren't you supposed to be behind bars, or does Halcyon just not do that anymore?" Samar Navabi ground out, her question directed at Scottie.

The older woman stood. "You're not interested in listening to much that I have to say anyway, so what am I doing here? They'll kill him before any of you come to a consensus on what you want to do."

"I don't think it's too much to want some confirmation that what you're telling us isn't a set up, Scottie."

"It's Christopher's life in the line. Why would I-?"

"Stop." All eyes turned on the young woman who had sat up straighter in her chair, voice and eyes sharp. "You're right. It's Tom's life, so we can discuss who knew what and when -" Elizabeth shot a pointed glare in Reddington's direction- "and if we'll trust each other after all is said and done. Right now our goal needs to be to find Tom and take down Ellington. The more we fight with each other, the less likely that's going to be."

The room fell silent for a moment and the burner phone on the table buzzed, sounding off an alert about a new message. "The first thing that we need to know is what this Ellington wants," Harold Cooper said as Scottie reached for the phone and flipped it open.

A new photo and new message was addressed to her and she frowned at the bruises and cuts.

"I should think that's obvious enough," Reddington murmured from his place.

"He wants me," Scottie clarified and she found her daughter-in-law watching her carefully she handed the phone over. "He had his people take my son to keep me in line when he was young, but he knows there's no way to salvage the op now."

"He knew that the moment you tried to escape," Howard murmured.

"I did what I had to do. As soon as they realized I was never going to be able to do what they wanted, they would have killed him. I couldn't help him if I was locked away."

"And you did him so much good free," Reddington said with a raised eyebrow.

"That's not helpful," Elizabeth grumbled at him.

"Or maybe it is."

All eyes turned to the FBI technician who had been working with Dumont to track the origin of the proofs of life being sent. "Whoever they have scrambling their signal is good. I mean, _really_ good, and while we can probably find it, we're working on a time crunch."

"You want to send Scottie in," Donald Ressler asked, sounding as surprised as the others looked.

"Not blind, of course, but we could track her and jump in to get both she and Tom."

"That's presuming Ellington wouldn't shoot her on sight," Howard pointed out, and Scottie glanced over at him, wondering for half a moment why he would have any reservations about that if it would lead them to Christopher.

"He wouldn't," she answered. "Miles has a certain way of doing things. He would make sure he knew everything that I did about Halcyon before putting a bullet in my head. The issue would be the tracker."

"We have some that are virtually undetectable," Mojtabai said, and Dumont chuckled at his side.

"And Halcyon has some that are entirely undetectable. Let's go that route."

"This needs to happen quietly," Nez said, her gaze sweeping the room. "The only people we trust in this are the people sitting in this room. Any slip can and will get not just Tom killed in all of this, but us as well. These people are well trained and well supplied. We have to play this smart."

Quiet acknowledgements were murmured around the room and Scottie retook her seat as they began to go over all of the options.

* * *

"I have a confession," Howard Hargrave said quietly, his blue eyes meeting Reddington's in a calculated way. "I didn't ask you here just to confirm Scottie's story."

Red hummed softly, a small smirk playing on his face. "I never would have guessed."

"I've heard the rumours and I know that things are… tight right now. Whatever you need to make it happen is yours, but I need information that I can't track down myself. I need to be involved with this."

"He's your son. I my question your motives if you weren't."

"You'd question my motives anyway," Howard chuckled and he wasn't wrong. Since he'd started to suspect Scottie there'd be a change in Reddington's old friend, but when confirmation came through and he'd realized that his son's disappearance was linked to his wife's betrayal, it had broken him in ways that Reddington knew too well. It wasn't that he was incapable of being truly loyal to his son, but Red wasn't a fool enough to fully trust that he would be just on his word. No matter what had happened over the years, Tom was Elizabeth's husband and Agnes' father, and that earned him some protection.

Howard handed him an envelope. "Everything's here. Look it over and tell me what you need. I'll have it for you within the hour."

"Hey? Can we talk?"

Elizabeth's voice caused both men to turn and Reddington shoved the paperwork back down into the envelope and out of sight. "Of course. How are you feeling?" he asked, hearing Howard mumble an excuse to step aside.

"I'm fine." He could almost feel the tension between them as she struggled with what to say. Finally she pulled in a breath and met his gaze. "Thank you for having Dembe take care of Agnes."

"Of course. Keeping her as far away from all of this is the best way to protect her."

She paused just a moment before looking him directly in the eye. "How much did you know about Scottie?"

He stopped the words before they tumbled out of his mouth. They wouldn't have been a lie, but they wouldn't have been the truth either. "A fair amount, but certainly not everything."

Elizabeth nodded. "You and I are…. I get that you have secrets. I even get that you think you have valid reasons for keeping them and that in some twisted way you think you're keeping me safe. I don't question that you _think_ that, but I want you to look at this. My husband is being held hostage, my daughter had to go into hiding _again_ after she and I were both put in danger, and-"

"Because of the dangers that Tom's family have brought to your doorstep. I warned him over a year ago that he needed to stay away from Scottie Hargrave. I continued to warn him right up to the point that he chose to go undercover and open you and Agnes up to all of this."

She didn't break eye contact with him, nor did she flinch. "I'm not blaming you for Scottie's past. I'm asking you to understand, Reddington. I want you to take one moment and see how, if you had just told us what you knew about Scottie Hargrave, how we could have had more information to make better choices with."

Her voice was surprisingly calm. She was upset with him, but as he listened Reddington heard the pleading undertone for him to try to see what she saw. He closed his eyes briefly, searching for just the right way to explain what he was thinking.

"You and Tom are stubborn. For everything you've seen, everything you have both experienced, you want it to be better. You hope that it'll be better. If I could make they true for you, Elizabeth, I would give anything in my power to do it. I have given as much as I know how to give you a chance at it, but some things… Howard was right. Tom wants to believe in Scottie and the similarities in your situation and his parents' is enough that he would have convinced himself it was possible. He would have taken and your daughter down in that desperate hope. By… withholding that information, I was doing what I could to mitigate the damage."

"Or you could have trusted us to make decisions about our own lives," she pressed. "We're not children anymore, Red."

A sad smile pulled at his lips. "I'm more aware of that every day," he admitted softly.

"I want to trust you, but you make it hard. I need you to trust me too."

He hummed softly. She wasn't a child, it was true. She was clever and talented. It was hard for him to share his plans with anyone, but if he were to choose one person, Elizabeth should be the one. "One thing at a time, Elizabeth. We'll bring your husband home, and then… when this is done and over, we can speak about what Kate left you."

"Do you mean that?"

Reddington nodded, not trusting his own voice and he saw her smile. It was small and tired, but it was for him. He just hoped when all was said and done that she could remember that she was the one that had begged him to know. He wasn't sure he could take losing her again.

* * *

Notes: I've really been looking forward to bringing everyone around together to face a problem head on, and here we are. Halcyon's Grey Matters team and the Task Force all working off the books together. And what do you think Howard asked Red to do?

Next time - Scottie goes in to set the trap.


	21. Asking for Trust

**Chapter Twenty-one: Asking for Trust**

Technology had always excited him, and their time apart hadn't diminished that in the slightest. He was going into every detail of the tracking chip and why it was the best that Halcyon had. One hand danced in the air as he discussed specs, theories, and implementation of the technology. It had been so long since she'd heard him speak like this to her, with that same excitement and curiosity that had attracted her to him early on. He was so caught up in the explanation that he didn't seem to notice until he'd finished.

Howard paused, swallowing his last couple of words and clearing his throat. "Any questions?"

"No," she said softly, holding his gaze, "but I'd bet you still have one or two. Ask them while you have the chance."

"We'll have plenty of time when this is all over. You, me, and the lie detector between us," he tried for what she thought might have been a joke and Scottie shook her head.

"You and I both know that my chances of getting out of this are slim. I have nothing to lose anymore, Howard. Just ask."

There was a long pause and he loosed a breath, taking a step back away from her. For a moment she could see the indecision replace that careful mask of confidence he wore around those he didn't trust. It wasn't an open expression, not by far, but it was less guarded than it had been. Finally those clear blue eyes flickered to meet hers. "Was any of it real?"

Well, no need to start simple she supposed. Scottie took a seat. Honesty wasn't her strong suit, but she had told him to ask, so she owed him that much. "Yes," she said slowly. "The marriage wasn't at first. It was… business. I was fond of you, don't get me wrong, but…. Christopher was real. I think Christopher was when it became real."

Her husband watched her carefully and took a seat across from her. "You loved him."

"I still love him."

He hummed softly, not arguing the point. He knew. He had to have known. He had told her who Tom was with the full understanding that that would make her call off the hit on him. The question never seemed to have crossed his mind that, knowing that Tom was her Christopher, she would allow the hit to go through. If there was one thing that Howard had believed in, it was her love for their son, even if he wouldn't always admit that outright.

"I don't know a lot about love, Howard. Loving our child was the first time I think I've ever loved anyone. Things may not have started out as real, but they became real." She tried for a smile, the motion feeling as strained as she was sure it looked. She didn't have it in her to put on a show for him that day.

Her husband didn't say anything, but he stood from his place, nodding a little and she followed so that she could reach him, her long fingers lightly grabbing his wrist. "Howard, Miles knows it too. Christopher isn't the only one he's threatened. Keep your head down in this. You're not a fighter."

"We're not throwing you to the wolves, Scottie. The intention has never been to get you killed."

"I know," she whispered and leaned forward on impulse to kiss his cheek. "I'll make sure he comes home this time. No matter what."

She had meant to move away then, but Howard caught her and pulled her back. Surprise held her there as his lips pressed against hers in a desperate way she hadn't felt from him in years now. Scottie moved into the kiss, one hand moving up and brushing the side of his face as she felt his arms circle her waist. It was comfortable. Familiar. She'd missed him.

They finally broke, neither moving away and she could feel his warm breath on her as he leaned his forehead against hers. "You didn't try to kill me, did you?"

That pulled a rough laugh from her. "No. A world without Howard Hargrave in it sounds dull."

He chuckled at that and pressed another quick kiss to her lips. "You always were trouble. Bring him home, Scottie, don't just send him."

"I do love you," she confessed softly. She hadn't realized how much she needed him to return it until the words were met with silence. "Howard…"

"Over thirty years of lies don't just go away, Scottie. You come back and we'll figure out where to go."

"They'll send me back to prison."

He shrugged. "Doesn't mean we can't figure it out. Anyway, you look good in orange."

She snorted and rolled her eyes, finally breaking away. "Take care of yourself. I'm serious."

There was a brief flash of old mischief in Howard's eyes, but instead he nodded and motioned to the door. "Shall we?"

* * *

The plan was simple enough. They were prepared, but they were also going in blind. The Task Force and Tom's team out of Halcyon - including Solomon, as much as Liz hated it - were standing by. Scottie would deliver herself to the location and they would track her. They had to give them a head start or they would tip their hand long before they found Tom, and then the whole thing would be blown. Every detail was balanced on a razor blade with no margin for error.

Liz couldn't help the way her nerves were twisted up. She was on her toes, waiting for the signal that they needed to hop into action and go. It was relatively simple. Scottie would be able to set off a signal in the tracker that would only be readable to the Artax Network, which - between Howard and Dumont - was fully under their control. It would let them pinpoint where she - and if everything worked out the way she seemed to think it would - and Tom were being held for extraction. Until then, though, it was a waiting game, and she wasn't very good at that.

Liz was listening through half the headset when the door to the van opened and she saw Howard slip in. "Still nothing," she said as she saw Aram swivel back to what he'd been doing.

Howard made a small sound of acknowledgment. "It takes time to transfer someone, especially if they want to make sure they're not being tailed." He motioned to the seat next to Liz and she nodded. "Tom may have been right."

"About what?"

"Scottie."

Liz smirked just a little. "Couldn't imagine where he would have any point of reference on that one."

Howard snorted, but Liz thought she saw the shadow of a smile there. A little pride mixed with a little hope. Finally he cleared his throat. "Have you seen Red?"

And just like that her mood soured. "He went to take care of something. I don't know the details or why it had to be _now_ , but..."

Her father-in-law chuckled. "Not a damn thing changes. Red's never been one to share."

"Doesn't that bother you? He knew about Scottie and didn't say anything."

Howard gave a small shrug. "He knew my son was alive and didn't say anything about that either. Red always has his reasons, and usually they're to protects someone he cares about, if he'll admit it or not."

"Did you know my mother as well?" Liz asked before she really meant to and there was a glint of mischief in Howard's blue eyes.

"Um, I hate to jump in, but she's stopped. No signal yet, but she's been still for a good ten minutes," Aram said and both Liz and Howard moved to see his screen.

"The fortifications are heavier than we anticipated."

"We can bring in a SWAT team to help, but that ups the risk," Liz murmured.

"Scottie knew adjustments would have to be made. We'll do what you have to to get them out of there. I want them ready as soon as Scottie gives the signal."

* * *

She had never been a fan of having a bag put over her head, nor the sensory overload that came after. Light flooded in and fresh air suddenly replaced the musty smell of the cloth that had been pressed against her nose. Scottie Hargrave blinked hard, trying to bring things into focus as quickly as she could.

Miles Ellington stood with a broad smile on his face and he approached her with his arms wide. They came in, one hand on either shoulder, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Scottie. It's been too long."

A small, calculated smile curled her lips. It was a game to Miles. It had always been a game. "Are the cuffs really necessary?"

"You tell me. I'm not the one that refused to come in out of the cold until properly incentivized."

"Howard's smarter than you give him credit for. I had to make it look real, and to do that I had to make it look like I was going to help him bring you down."

Miles tilted his head a little to the side. "You expect me to believe you were playing him?"

"Easily. For as torn up as he was to find out why I married him, he fell for it easily enough again."

Miles chuckled. "They say the heart wants what it wants. What does your heart want, Scottie?"

"To finish the job I started years ago."

"And Christopher?"

Scottie purses her lips together, choosing her next words carefully. "Now that he's away from his father I have a better chance of bringing him to our side. He's an operative, Miles, like you and me. He understands that lies need to be told to get the job done."

"And if he doesn't?"

"He will. Given time, he will."

Miles hummed softly, as he stepped forward, circling around her and she knew he was looking for any tell she might give that she was lying. "You said Howard thinks you're working with him. How did you convince him to let you come in alone?"

"There's a button on my dress," Scottie said as she bent a little to reach the bottom button in a line of them down her dark blue dress and began working it free. "It's a tracker. One of Halcyon's technicians was following it. I knew your equipment would deactivate it long before I got to you. Howard didn't." She handed him the tracker and Miles turned the now useless bug over in his hand, examining it.

"You always were clever."

"I still am," she answered with a smile.

Miles chuckled and motioned to one of the guards. Half a moment later Scottie was free of her cuffs, rubbing her thin wrists. "We have a lot of work to do, but first I need to see him."

"He can wait."

"No. I know what you did giving him over to Bill McCready. You used a man that broke ties with our program to train one of the next generation when I couldn't. The sooner we bring him in, the more useful he'll be."

"You almost sound impressed. When did you learn to let go of a grudge?"

"Being angry with you won't get back the years I lost, so what's the point? You saw to his training and now we'll use it. He's good. Possibly better than any operatives that we've seen. I can't get the years back, but now he'll be able to move forward with us."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up too high yet, Scottie. He's fought us the whole way."

She shrugged. "That's because you haven't had me."

"Fair enough." He motioned and Scottie followed behind, listening as Miles spoke. "I remember Bill. I always thought he would join back up with us, but his program did well."

"Did he ever know it was Christopher?"

"We didn't tell him. You know Bill. He would have wanted something more. Instead we passed along a name and file and he lucked out. Quite the fighter, your son. He's already cost me a couple of men."

Scottie only smirked as they wound around to a room with a guard standing outside the door. He had two black eyes and the bruising looked like someone had broken his nose. Miles motioned and the guard turned, pulling keys out, and she heard the locks slide open.

The room was dark, but as she stepped in and her eyes adjusted she saw Christopher. He was seated on the hard floor, leaned up against the far wall, and had one arm wrapped around his middle protectively. Elizabeth had said the sniper had caught him before they took him, and now it looked like they had beaten on him as well.

She risked the brief glance at Miles as she moved past him. He lingered at the door, watching her carefully as she inched her way towards her injured son. He didn't stir at first, but as she knelt down two dark blue eyes slid open, a dangerous and wary glare fixed on her. It took a moment before those same eyes blinked rapidly, as if trying to push through the confusion, and finally softened just a little. "Scottie?"

She smiled at him, reaching out with one hand and pressed it against his cheek, thumb moving lightly over the bruises already forming on his cheekbone. She still wondered how she'd missed it. He was so clearly there. He was older and life had put him through hell, but he was her boy, and right then he needed her to be at her best if they were both going to get out of this alive. She moved her fingers across the palm of the hand not touching him, feeling the small device that Howard had implanted there. If he was wrong, both she and Christopher were dead. If he was right, they should both be home by that night.

"What are you doing here?"

His voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she pressed down, setting the signal off and moving so that she had a hand to either side of his face. "Asking you to trust me."

* * *

"I didn't thank you."

Matias Solomon turned, quirking an eyebrow at the woman seated across from him. "For what exactly?"

"Having my back. At the blacksite," Nez clarified.

An amused smirk perked his lips. "And who says I wasn't just following orders?"

"You're a free agent."

"That chose to side with Scottie."

She snorted and stood from where she had been perched up on a set of cabinets, working on her own weapons. Solomon watched her cross the space between them and she held his gaze. He found himself frozen there, unable or unwilling to break away. He wasn't sure. Nez stopped, so close that he could feel her breath on him when she spoke. "You may have been given orders, but that's not why you were there."

"Was it not? Then why?"

Her hand touched his, sending chills he wasn't used to up his spine and she leaned up, her lips against his and he reached over, setting his weapon down to pull her just a little closer. He felt her hands travel up, one wrapping around the back of his neck and he let her guide him deeper, the rush stronger than anything.

Someone cleared their throats awkwardly at the door and they parted, finding Dumont standing there. "Took you two long enough."

"What's up, Dumont?" Nez grumbled and Dumont grinned cheekily.

"Scottie just sent the signal. We're a go."

Solomon looked to Nez who nodded. He didn't think he would ever choose to put his life on the line for Tom Keen, but there they were, and both he and Nez knew this wasn't for Tom Keen.

* * *

Notes: No one has a simple, straightforward relationship in this story, do they?

Next time - Reddington searches out information and the jailbreak commences.


	22. Burn the Worlds

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Burn the Worlds**

The last beating had left him dazed. It was possible they had given him something as well, because even as he started to come around everything was dull. It was difficult to tell the half-dreams and nightmares from reality, but Scottie was there though. That much he was sure of after a long moment.

At first he thought he was dreaming. It wouldn't have been the strangest thing he had dreamt since all of this had started, but as her hands came up to the side of his face, the touch solid and much warmer than the room around them, he was fairly certain she was real.

Tom blinked hard, pulling his focus around. She wanted him to trust her, but she needed to give him a reason to. He could accept a lot, but only if he had all the information, and at that moment he hadn't received a lot that made him want to try to guess her intentions. He saw the man in question at the door. He stood, watching and evaluating. Sometimes you had to make it look real for all the eyes and ears around you and hope the other person could read between the lines. "You betrayed me. You betrayed Howard. What makes you think I'm going to trust you when your buddy has me chained up?" He lifted his wrists to show the shackles around them, big and heavy and reminiscent of the ones Liz had used on him years before. Those had been what she could get her hands on. These were for show. They were meant to make a point.

His mother gave him a thin smile and leaned her forehead against his, her voice so low that even as close as they were he had to struggle to hear her. "Miles is watching, but I won't let him have you again. Not this time. Be ready." He felt something in her hand against his cheek and he reached up, his hand covering hers and she slipped it to him discreetly. Their eyes locked just a moment and there was a desperate look in her own darker ones that didn't fit well with the woman he had come to know.

"That's enough," Miles Ellington said from the door and Scottie looked back to him.

"That leash sucks when they tug, doesn't it?" Tom asked quietly.

Scottie stood without another word and he watched her, careful to keep his fingers loose around the pick she'd left with him. He wasn't sure what she was planning, but he hoped it wouldn't be up to just the two of them.

His gaze followed his mother and Miles out the door, and he waited several long minutes after he heard the locks click into place before he started working on his chains.

* * *

He had tried to warn Tom away from the Hargraves, but it had done about as much good as warning Elizabeth away from Tom. Now they were chest deep in Susan Hargrave's mess. He had known it would be bad, but with all of the strong-willed players in the game now it made things difficult.

That didn't mean that he couldn't turn things in his favour, despite all the opposition. He still held a limited trust in Howard, but it was enough to know that he would make good on his end of the bargain they had struck. At the end of the day they were both businessmen, even if family brought what was happening close to home.

His gaze swept the patio of the small coffee shop where the meet had been set. It was busy for that time of day, people sitting and chattering and enjoying the weather. In a corner there sat the woman he'd been looking for, her curly blonde hair pulled back and a summer hat shadowing her face. She blended in well enough with her focus appearing to be on the book in front of her, but as Reddington approached with Dembe just behind him he could see her watching him from behind her sunglasses. "If you hadn't made it by the end of this chapter, you would have missed me," she said by way of greeting. She set the book down and a small smirk tilted the corner of her lips. "But I suppose you've had to make some travel adjustments without your jet."

Reddington resisted the urge to roll his eyes. She was getting a feel for the situation, but he wouldn't let her see anything from his end. He flashed her a charming smile as he took a seat opposite from her. "Always a pleasure, Gina. I hope you brought what we discussed."

She studied him a moment before reaching into the bag that was on the table in front of her. She pulled a jump drive and began to hold it out to him, pulling it back as he reached for it. "I would have thought that you would cash in on the favour I owed you on something different. I want to be clear that this makes us even."

"As long as the information is what you say it is, this will clear your debt to me," Reddington answered and Gina Zanetakos handed him the file. He passed it back to Dembe who would check it before they left the meeting.

"Is this about Jacob?"

Reddington's gaze flickered back to her and he saw the new head of St Regis watching him carefully. "What the information is for was not part of our deal."

She tilted her head just a little, that pretty smile enough to win most people over. "McCready talked about him in his files," she said after a long moment. "It looks like his past was more complicated than even Jacob knew."

"It's good," Dembe announced.

"Things usually are more complicated," Reddington answered her with a smile and stood. "Best of luck in you endeavors, my dear. You and I are now even."

"Does he ever regret it?"

Reddington paused midstep, and turned back so that he could see her out of the corner of his eye. It had been a risk coming to Gina. She complicated things for more than one key player in all of this, but she was also been the best source to reach out to for information on McCready's earliest experience with the program he ran before his death and how that for into the situation they were in now. Finally Red tilted his head just a little to the side. "Focus on your organization, Gina, and leave Tom Keen to the life he chose."

With that he turned and walked away, leaving her at the table. If all worked out to plan, Elizabeth and Howard would have Tom and Scottie free by the time he got back and they could start preparing to finally put an end to all of this.

* * *

Miles Ellington led Scottie back through the halls of his base and to an impressive office that looked like it belonged in a business building rather than a compound used to hold prisoners. It was like taking a step into the past. For all of the disagreements that Miles and Scottie had had with her father on the direction of the organization Miles had picked up many traits from Scottie's father. His love of literature and his unique taste in it. She ran her fingers over the old spines. Some of them were her father's books, and the feel of them took her back.

"You might be able to win him over in time," Miles said, drawing her attention. "If I let McKinney have his way, he'd beat the kid until he was useless. I don't know what he said or did, but he's been ready to take his head off."

"When did he join the organization?"

"Are you asking if he was in my pocket the whole time?" She met his gaze and Miles chuckled, taking a seat in his desk chair and leaning back. "I may never have been cut out for the deep cover work, but I'm no fool, Scottie. I know that long term assignments can get… confusing. Your job becomes your life and your life the job. I trusted you then, but that didn't mean you didn't need checks and balances, just like Halcyon."

"And do you trust me now, Miles?"

"That's yet to be determined," he answered, his gaze piercing. "You were in for a long time and you lied to stay. I get it, but this needs to be finished, Scottie. Howard's a lost cause. Even if he survives this, he knows who you are now. Your hope is to flip Christopher and stick this out. That's the only scenario in which you come out of this mostly intact. I _want_ to trust your instincts that you'll see that."

"What do you need me so desperately for, Miles?" Scottie asked, finally taking a seat in the chair across from him.

"You've been in Halcyon over thirty years and you've laid all the groundwork that we need."

"For what?"

"To use it. The company itself doesn't matter, but the Artax Network? The army that's employed? We will dominate the private sector with it."

"So offer a buy out option. The point of going in was never to take it over covertly. It was to ensure that Howard Hargrave wasn't using his intelligence company for our enemies."

"The point was never to fall in love with him and have his child either," Miles answered, his voice sharp before he reined himself in a little better, fixing that charming smile back to his face. "You can't tell me after the way he handled the Richard Whitehall situation that Howard Hargrave is fit to run one the largest intelligence companies in the world? He's a loose canon, Scottie. You and I saw that early on when your father didn't. We saw the potential dangers, and now they're here. You let him continue, you allow him access to Whitehall's Quantum Computing theories and his inventions. We can't stand back and let that happen."

That was it. Miles was after Whitehall's inventions. "So you tried to down his plane?"

Miles sat back. "Desperate times, Scottie. If you'd handled your end, I wouldn't have had to go to those lengths."

"And now?"

"Now things are more difficult, but not impossible. You'll get us access to Whitehall, to the network, to everything. You know all the workarounds." He watched her carefully. "I want us to be partners again, Scottie, but know that I won't fail to make your son beg for death if you cross me."

There was a knock on the door and McKinney stuck his head in. "We have a problem."

Miles immediately looked to Scottie and she kept her gaze even, lifting her chin just a little. "How many?"

"Enough."

"Kill him."

McKinney nodded and Scottie watched her old friend warily as he stood. She shadowed the moment, unwilling to be caught at a disadvantage. "You've cost him his life. You know that, right? I would have preferred to work with you, not against you."

"You were working against me the moment you attacked my family," Scottie countered. Something wasn't right. He was too calm. He'd predicted this, which left the question of why he'd let her in in the first place.

"I was your family."

Scottie straightened just a little, hearing the bitterness that underlined the words and she lifted her chin. "Not for a long time now."

He was still quick but Scottie managed to put the chair between them quickly, blocking him and giving her half a moment before he came over it. She ducked down, avoiding the first swing and she got one in before he caught her, slamming her back hard against the bookshelf, his hands wrapped around her throat.

Scottie's hands went immediately to try to pry his loose, but they would budge. "I was willing to give you a second chance," he said lowly, leaned in so close that she could feel his breath on the side of his face. "I would have taken you back, even after what you did. Now you'll lose everything."

She kicked out, managing to knock him loose. Miles stumbled and Scottie jumped to the side, grabbing for anything to use as a weapon.

The floor lurched under her feet, the explosion the first sign that something was happening outside of McKinney's warning. She was thrown hard, slamming into the side of the desk and she must have lost at least a handful of moments, because when she sat up, head aching, Miles was gone.

Scottie groaned as she picked herself up, moving to the drawers of the desk to find any weapon she could. The explosion would have been them destroying anything valuable. Once the right people got out, they would bring the whole building down. She had to get to Christopher and they needed to get out.

* * *

He could hear the commotion outside of his cell and he stood from his place. Scottie had told him to be ready and whatever she had planned seemed to be in the works. Shouts could be heard outside and as he heard the locks to the door being undone, Tom pressed his back against the wall next to it, the chains that had been around his wrists now gripped in his hands. They could have any variety of weapons when they came in, and while it wasn't a gun, it was better than having nothing but his fists to fight with.

Tom squeezed his eyes closed hard, waiting for just the right moment. The door swung open and he couldn't hear the footsteps over the shouts from outside the cell. Once the man was far enough in he stepped forward, roping the chain around his neck and swung him around, the bullets he'd been expecting from the guard's partner hitting him instead of Tom.

He didn't pause, not wanting to lose the element of surprise, and threw his human shield at the startled man, knocking him off balance and he took him to the ground, wrestling with him for the gun in his hand. It went off and the other man's eyes went wide and then empty as he died, still pinned to the ground.

A boot caught Tom before he could get back to his feet, connecting hard with where the bullet had torn through him just before he'd been captured and he let out a struggled yelp as he went rolling, releasing the gun as he did. Albert McKinney stood over him, kicking the weapon to the side, and he had his own gun trained on him. "You should be grateful. I'll put a bullet in your head and it'll be quick. Scottie'll get buried alive."

Tom raised his hands slowly, easing himself to his feet. McKinney smirked and Tom jerked to one side, barely missing the shot that went off. He moved quickly, grabbing for the gun, but had to release his grip on the barrel almost as quickly as he'd taken it as the hot metal burned his fingers.

McKinney was broader, bigger, and he used that to his advantage as he slammed into Tom, picking him up off the ground and into the wall. He landed a hard hit to his side, knowing where to hit to cause the most pain. Bruising wasn't pleasant, but an open wound hurt more.

Tom saw spots dance across his vision for a moment and McKinney chuckled. "You're a hell of a lot more trouble than you're worth, you know that, kid?"

The younger man snorted, a smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah," he answered, slamming his head forward and he sent McKinney stumbling. "You're right. You should have drowned me when you had the chance." He moved faster than McKinney could react, adrenaline pushing him harder, and he caught McKinney before he could get up. He wrapped an arm under his chin, cutting off his air and kicked out as the other man tried to stand, buckling his knee from behind. McKinney struggled, but Tom had the upper hand and he gave a hard twist. McKinney went still and Tom dropped the dead man to the floor, breathing hard from the fight.

"Christopher, we need to go."

He looked to the door and saw Scottie standing there, looking like she'd been through a fight or two of her own to get to him. "They're going to blow the place," Tom managed, trying to push back the exhaustion and pain. He couldn't let the adrenaline rush wear off just yet. They had too far to go.

"I know. Come on."

He started after her, reaching down to scoop up a gun that one of his attackers had dropped on his way out. "We have to get to the explosives. Any idea where that'd be?"

"As long as Miles hasn't changed his protocol, yes. And considering a bomb's set to go off at all I'm guessing he hasn't."

"Okay, we'll get to it, disarm it, and…" She had stopped in front of him, her back still to him as they stood at a fork in the hall. "Scottie, we have to go."

She turned around slowly and Tom tried to shake the chill that went down his spine. "I need you to listen to me, Christopher. _Tom_ ," she corrected, a sad smile pulling her lips. "Take that hallway, first left, and it should lead you to the exit. Your father, Elizabeth and her team, your team… they're all working together for this. Get out, warn them, and get clear."

"I have training in-"

"No."

"I'm not leaving you here," he argued, his own voice sounding just a little more desperate than he liked.

"Yes you are. Your safety is what matters. I'll get out if I can."

She took a single step back and reached for something on the other side of the doorway, a door sliding closed between them. Tom slammed a fist against the glass and it didn't budge. "Scottie! Dammit," he growled, not finding a weak point. She was walking away on the other side, and he wasn't sure if she could even hear him through it. She was ready to sacrifice herself to help him and the others get out. While it might have helped answer at least some of the questions he had about her loyalties, he wasn't willing to just let her go off and get herself killed. " _Mom_!"

She froze where she was and turned. Tom saw what he would wager were real tears in her eyes and he swallowed hard. "Tell Dumont to open a line of communication. I can't disarm the thing without his help. Go."

He grit his teeth, frustrated with the fact she'd made the decisions for him, but she wasn't coming back. All delaying would do now is make it impossible for her to get out. Finally he nodded and turned, following the path she'd instructed.

He found trouble at that first left. Apparently they had no interest in clearing everyone out.

Tom got one shot off and disarmed the second guy, wheeling around and just barely stopped himself from pulling the trigger on what he thought was a third attacker. Donald Ressler held his hands up. "Hey, it's me."

"Hell, man," Tom managed, lowering his gun.

"Kind of what you look like right now. You okay?"

"I've had worse. You have your phone on you?"

Ressler reached into his pocket and fished out his cellphone. "Where's Scottie?"

"On her way to disarm a bomb. We need to clear our people out."

"How much time do we have?"

"Not sure, but not a lot." The line connected. "Dumont."

" _Tom-Tom, am I glad to hear your voice, buddy_."

"I need you to open a line for Scottie to patch through. She's going to need you to walk her through disarming a bomb."

" _Isn't that more your skillset than hers_?" Dumont asked and Tom could hear him punching in the codes to do what he needed to do.

"Yeah, and she and I are going to have a chat about locking me out when we all get through this alive."

" _Gotcha. Patching through to her now. Good luck_."

The line disconnected and Tom turned to see Ressler speaking into his earpiece to clear everyone out of the building and he thought he must have been talking to Liz when he heard the agent insist they meet her outside.

His vision tunneled for a moment and felt a hand on his shoulder steadying him. "You going to make it?"

"Yeah. The adrenaline rush is just wearing off. I'm good. I'm okay."

Ressler didn't seem convinced as he moved with him, the two men working well to get passed what remained of their opposition. By the time they got to the exit Ressler had moved to put one arm around his shoulders, supporting his weight and ignoring any protest that the dark haired man made the whole way.

"Tom!"

Blue eyes blinked hard, trying to clear and focus, and Tom saw his wife running towards them. She looked better than the last time he'd seen her, even if just a different type of frazzled now. As she got closer he could see the cut that the wreck had left on her and the bruising that had started to form from it, but he didn't have a chance to look her over well as Ressler released him and Liz moved to wrap her arms around him, releasing as soon as he tensed. "You okay?"

"Mostly," he answered. "Did Dumont make contact with Scottie?"

Liz's expression darkened just a little. "Yeah."

"And?" Something was wrong. He wasn't sure what, but he could see it in the way she didn't want to say too much.

"Tom, let's get you over to the medical-"

"Liz, what's going on?" he demanded, digging his heels in so he wouldn't budge as she tried to pull him towards the medical truck a few yards away.

His wife loosed a sharp breath. "It was more complicated than Scottie or Dumont realized until she got in there. Howard went in to help her disarm it."

Tom blinked hard. "Alone? There are still guards inside. What the hell does he expect to do if he runs into trouble between here and there?"

"He'll be okay, babe," Liz said quietly, her hand fitting in his and she pulled him towards the trucks again. "There's nothing more you can do. You have to trust them. Come on."

He turned back towards the compound, even as Liz tugged him away from it. No matter what they had done, they were his parents. He had just found them, and as he faced the very real possibility of losing them again, he wasn't sure he could handle that.

* * *

Notes: Two things that I've been looking forward to writing that happened in this chapter - McKinney's death and Tom calling Scottie _Mom_. This chapter was a lot of fun to write. :)

Next time - Howard and Scottie work together to stop the bomb from going off.


	23. The Long Road Ahead

**Chapter Twenty Three: The Long Road Ahead**

The alarms were blaring all around her and Dumont couldn't walk her through how to disengage the bomb. Even if Scottie tried to make a run for it, she likely wouldn't clear far enough away to avoid the blast, not having to fight her way out. It didn't mean she wouldn't try, but the realization of that stopped her for a moment. There was a sense of finality as she stood there, the line cut and a system that she had no training with in front of her. At least Christopher had gotten away. At least she had done that right.

The door opened behind her and Scottie spun, gun leveled at the person moving into the control room. She blinked in surprise. "Howard? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Disarming a bomb, I hope," her husband answered as he moved passed her and to the control board.

"Dumont couldn't walk me through it. Why would you think you could. You should have left. Christopher-"

"Isn't a little boy anymore. At the very least we buy them time. At the best, we disarm it and you and I walk out of here alive, but only if you let me work."

"Are you asking me to watch your back, Howard?" Scottie asked, her voice a little lighter than it should have been for the situation.

"If you think you can manage without shoving a knife into it," he huffed as he took a seat.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes as his fingers flew expertly across the keyboard. The irritation subsided and she watched him work, keeping an eye on the video feeds that he already had back up and running. The closer the detonator got to going off, the more interference she'd been receiving. It was what had finally ended her call with Dumont, but bit by bit, Howard was bringing what he needed back online.

He was brilliant. It was one of the first things that had attracted her to him as she'd gotten to know him. He was often the smartest person in the room and he knew it, but his natural charm helped him balance out what might have caused a lot of trouble along the way. He treated his friends and allies exceptionally well and his enemies didn't realize what was coming until it was too late. What he saw her as now, even Scottie couldn't guess. They had so much history between them, and she hoped that might give her a chance. Miles had said she'd lost him, but she knew this man she had married over thirty years before. If she had truly lost him, he wouldn't have come back for her. He would have let her burn.

She glanced over to the screen that gave her a ranging view of fleeing people all across the complex, but several cameras were feeding in from just outside the room they were in to show the approaching guards. "Idiots don't realize Miles left them here to die," she growled. There were too many for her to take head on. They would have to play this smart and Howard was going to have to trust her. "How close are you?"

"Further every time you interrupt," he groused.

"We're about to have company."

"Can you handle them?"

"Do I have a choice?"

She moved to the outer room, gun in hand, and to the door that led to the hallway. Scottie pressed her back against the wall. If they were lucky the men would keep moving. In her experience, though, the Hargraves had to make their own luck.

The handle to the door moved and she leveled her gun, grateful for the wall that was between where she stood and the server room, keeping Howard at least temporarily out of the line of fire as he worked. Her breathing evened, her focus absolute, and she waited until he was two steps in, one man following behind, before she took one shot, swiveled, and took a second. Both men fell dead the the floor and Scottie took another shot as she jumped across the doorway to the other wall for protection, though she wasn't sure she brought that one fully down.

She waited, listening, and didn't hear anything for a long moment. There had only been three. If she'd taken the third down they were in the clear for now. If not, one of them had to make the first move, and he could be waiting for her just as easily as she was waiting for him. Scottie pulled in a breath, ready to step forward out of her hiding place, when her third man stepped in.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Scottie raised her gun just as he turned her way, starting to shift his own aim. She pulled the trigger and the gun jammed, the sound deafening somehow. The gunshot that did fill the room only half a second later came from the wrong direction, though, and she watched as the man dropped his own weapon and crumbled to the floor after it.

"Are you hurt?"

She turned, her voice catching in her throat as Howard crossed the room, and she thought she might have seen worry in those clear blue eyes.

"Are you hurt?" he repeated, firmer this time and he reached for her.

"I'm fine," she managed, feeling the adrenaline rush subside. It left her exhausted and she felt Howard touch her arm as if he weren't sure.

Without warning Scottie turned, wrapping both arms around his neck. She half expected him to pull away from the embrace, but as she lingered there a moment, eyes squeezed shut and letting it sink in that they had just barely escaped death that day, she felt his arms go around her in return, pulling her just a little tighter against him. They stood there together in silence and held onto each other, relief filling the room around them.

* * *

Liz kept threatening to have the medic sedate him if he didn't let them take a look at him. He could still see the movement of people scurrying around, catching people that had been left behind by Miles Ellington to die in the blast. Arrests were being made left and right and from what he could see it looked like the alarms had finally quieted down, but there was no sign of either Hargrave coming from the building yet.

Tom winced as the medic's fingers found yet another sore spot. "You really do need to go to the hospital," she told him and he snorted.

"Just get me on my feet and I'll deal with that later."

"How's he doing?"

Tom looked around, finding Liz making her way back over. The medic frowned, but took a step back. "I've done what I can for him here. What he needs is a hospital and a heavy dose of antibiotics to kick that infection out before it gets too bad."

"I'll go when this is done," he promised before Liz could follow that up with anything. He slid off the gurney he'd been seated on and tugged his shirt back down to cover the fresh bandages. "Could you find anything out?"

"Communications are still down, but the alarms are off. Dumont seemed to think that was a good sign."

"Until the place blows without warning," Tom huffed. "I should have gone with her."

Liz offered him a tired smile and touched his arm. "She didn't give you a choice. That's not your fault."

"If it was your mother, would you have taken no for an answer?"

His wife's expression turned sad and she let her light touch on his arm fall down to his wrist, pulling him forward a little. He sighed as she wrapped a careful arm around him, pressing her ear to his chest. "She'll be okay. Both of them will."

Tom's gaze flickered up as he saw Nez approaching and he straightened just a little. "Tell me you have good news."

"The countdown's been stopped, but Ellington's nowhere to be found. They found Albert McKinney dead though."

"Yeah, I was there."

Nez caught his gaze. "He was the one that tried to kill you as a kid."

"And I killed him," Tom answered, his tone lighter than the words, and he caught Liz watching him from the corner of his eye. He shook his head. "I want Halcyon's focus to be finding and bringing in Miles Ellington. Do whatever you have to to make that happen."

"Is it possible he still has people on the inside?"

"I'd bet money on it."

"So what do you want to do about the Board?"

Tom sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the thought of the collection of suits that wanted all the power but had no interest in dirtying their own hands to do what needed to be done. "I'll deal with them. Just find Ellington, Nez."

A shout drew their attention and Tom's gaze darkened as Matias Solomon offered a wave far too cheerful for their circumstances.

"He helped us," Nez pointed out. "He didn't have to. No one is paying him to."

Tom shot her a look. "Solomon doesn't do anything for free. He's getting something from this, even if it's not money."

He had a list of reasons not to trust Solomon, but that was cut short as Liz nudged him softly in the side, motioning over to their right where Howard and Scottie Hargrave were exiting the building.

"I've got Solomon," Nez promised him.

"Just… watch your back. Please?"

"Funny, he says the same thing about you," his partner answered with a small smirk "I've got it covered."

He gave a brief nod as he caught Scottie's gaze just beyond Nez and Liz caught his gaze, the offer to go with him if he needed her clear and he gave her a thin smile. As much as he wanted her there, some things he needed to do on his own, and her team needed her too.

Samar had caught Howard and Scottie as they left the building and glanced over as Tom approached, his movements slow and careful as his body gave off every warning that anything more might land him in a heap on the ground.

Howard turned, following Samar's gaze, and his own blue eyes lit just a little, his lips tugging outward in a tired smile. He reached out for his son and Tom caught the outreached hand, half stumbling into the hug he hadn't expected. He returned it, though, his own arm going around his father's shoulders and he folded in for just a moment, feeling a brief reprieve from the chaos. They'd made it out. They had all made it out.

"You seem to think I can't take care of myself," Howard chuckled and pulled a smile from his son.

"Someone's gotta worry about you," Tom murmured in response.

"You alright, son?" the older man asked as he released him, his hand still at the back of Tom's head in an affectionate gesture.

"I'll hold," he answered with a smirk.

"Good. Agent Navabi and I need to speak with the bomb squad before they go in. Would you mind-"

"I'm not going anywhere, Howard," Scottie snapped irritably.

Tom chuckled, catching Howard's expression. It was less about making sure she didn't run and more that his father was giving them a moment. "I'll keep an eye on her."

Scottie huffed off to the side as Howard turned to leave with Samar and Tom shook his head, amusement a much better substitute for the worry that he'd been feeling.

"You called me _mom_."

He looked over to find her staring at him, those dark brown eyes studying him carefully as if she didn't quite trust herself on her reaction.

Tom pulled in a breath. "Yeah," he managed, the word falling a little flat. If you put him into an op, a job, the words came easily. He could be kind or cruel, charming or timid. He could be whatever he needed to be to get the job done, but when the job was finished and he stood as himself with no mask to hide behind, his usually clever mind drew a blank. He had called her mom. In that moment he had been terrified it would be his only chance.

If he felt uncertain in the moment, Scottie looked it. She tried for a smile, the result a strained stretching of her lips and she reached a tentative hand forward. He took it slowly, feeling her long fingers curl around his and her thumb move over his scraped and bruised knuckles gently, her smile turning a little more real, even if it still had hints of sadness in it. "I can't change what's happened," she said softly, her gaze focused on his hand. "I can't turn back time. All I can do is swear to you that everything I have done has been to try to protect you. I know it may not seem that way and that-"

"Hey," Tom cut her off and drew her eyes to meet his. "I've done some pretty desperate things over the years."

She stared at him for a long moment and Tom felt the tightness that had been building in his chest growing with each second that passed. It hurt. It hurt to think about all she'd done to him, for him, and what he'd been through as a result. It hurt to remember the life had lived because of it and the choices he had made when he had felt like they were the only ones he could choose. Those moments when even the best option was terrible. He remembered those moments well. The scars hadn't faded that much.

He cleared his threat and tightened his fingers in her grasp. "Guess I came by a lot naturally, but… I've learned a lot about second chances in the last few years."

That pulled a better smile from her and Scottie choked out a laugh as she adjusted her hand to his face, but it moved to his shoulder before he even felt himself swaying. "You need a doctor," she told him firmly.

"Yeah," he managed, suddenly feeling his energy depleted. "I promised Liz I'd go."

"Now, rather than later," Scottie said gently.

He nodded, feeling her coax him forward and he leaned against her to stay steady. It was an odd sensation. His emotions always seemed so conflicted with Scottie. Distrust mixed with a strange feeling of safety. Of _wanting_ to trust her, and as they moved slowly back towards the medics and he heard Liz call out his name, he couldn't fight that want any longer. She was his mother and Howard his father. He came by the distrust and all the questions naturally. He really was their child, even if they hadn't had the chance to raise him. Not just Howard's son or just Scottie's. He was theirs, through the good and the bad that came with it, and as much as that terrified him, there was a glimmer of hope for a chance once this was all said and done.

* * *

They wanted to keep him overnight just to make sure he was alright. Tom probably would have pitched a bigger fit than he had if he'd had the energy to do so, but instead his exhaustion had left him grumbling and his wife choosing a small smirk over openly teasing him on it.

This was the calm in the eye of the storm and Liz knew it. Even as she walked down the hall, a much-needed cup of coffee in her hand and a cell phone with updates coming in from the Post Office in the other, she knew that it wouldn't be long before they were forced back into the thick of the chaos. That was why she had chosen, as hard as it was, to keep Agnes hidden until it was over. She had hoped to be able to slip away and go get her that night, but as the names came in they were fairly certain that Ellington had slipped away. If she went to her now she would only be putting her daughter in the line of fire. They had to see this through until the end.

She had spoken to Reddington who had been calling in a favour still owed somewhere and turning up with information about Scottie's father's organization. His source - unnamed, as of now, but with all the promises that he'd explain more when they had the time - had had access to details that would help them piece things together and, if they were lucky, help them track Ellington through contacts.

They would regroup in the morning to figure out their next move. Halcyon's Board was impatient, but they only had so much pull when they found out one of their key Board Members had been a mole in the company. They would wait. They wouldn't have a choice.

Liz rounded the corner to the hall that Tom's room was on. She'd left him sleeping an hour before and hoped to find him sleeping when she got back. The antibiotics they had him on would likely push him over that edge even if the utter exhaustion from what had happened didn't. He was stubborn, but even he hadn't been able to be that stubborn.

She stopped at the door, finding her husband still asleep, but there were two people in there with him. Howard Hargrave was slouched back in a chair on the other side of Tom's bed, looking like he was on the verge of dozing off himself. Scottie sat opposite of him, leaned forward in her own chair and she had Tom's limp hand in hers. She looked up as Liz entered and let go, sitting back.

Tom stirred a little, but didn't wake, and Scottie looked like she was going to stand to offer Liz the seat. The younger woman motioned for her to stay, set her coffee down, and moved a chair that had been up against the wall over as quietly as she could. She felt Scottie watching her the whole way. Liz finally settled in and grabbed her coffee. She risked a look out of the corner of her eye, chewing on her bottom lip as she turned her words over in her mind before letting them loose. Finally she sighed, her gaze focused on her sleeping husband as she spoke to his mother. "You know, when I first met Tom he told me his parents had died in a car accident and that he had an estranged brother," she said, her voice soft so that she wouldn't disturb his sleep. "He had this whole life story cooked up. It was fake. All of it."

"You met when he was undercover," Scottie acknowledged quietly and Liz nodded.

"I was devastated when I found out it'd been a lie. I thought it all was. To me, if the facts about his family, about his upbringing, about why he'd come into my life in the first place… if all of that was a lie, it must have meant that his feelings were too. That everything was a lie." She watched him, the steady rise and fall of his chest, the way his eyes moved beneath his lids as he dreamt, and Liz smiled a little. "He's taught me a lot. I know if you'd ask him he'd tell you he was the one learning, but… Tom helped me learn a valuable lesson."

"And what's that?"

"Just because a truth is wrapped up in a lie doesn't make it any less true. That, and that actions are always more reliable than words. His words said it was all a job for him, but when I needed him he was there. He was willing to go to prison to make sure I'd stay out. He… put me before his job that he's so damned good at." The last bit left her lips on a breathy chuckle but the smile didn't fade. "People are complicated and we don't always know just how complicated until certain things come out. When I met him he was sweet and innocent and one of the kindest people I'd ever known. Then he seemed to be cruel and… heartless. He terrified me, but the truth is that Tom is a lot of things. His life has darkened parts of him, but he's stronger than what happened. It didn't steal his choices away, and in the end he chose our family. It didn't always look like that's what he was doing, but he tries. He always tries, and that's all anyone can ask of anyone else."

Scottie didn't say anything for a long moment, but she nodded.

Liz shifted. "I won't apologize for not trusting you."

"I'm not asking you to."

Blue eyes met brown. "But you protected him. You risked everything for him."

"He's my son. Would you do any less for Agnes?"

"No, and neither would he, but Tom's not used to being on the receiving end of affection. When he decides he cares about you, nothing can stop him, but he's not used to receiving it in return. Sometimes it takes him a little while to trust that it's real."

Scottie seemed to understand what Liz was getting at and she nodded. "One step at a time."

Liz nodded, sipping at her coffee. She glanced over at the sound of rushed footsteps down the hall and Nez Rowan appeared in the doorway. She looked rushed, flustered, and Howard stirred fully awake in his chair across the room. "Nez," he said, his voice loud enough to start pulling Tom awake as well. "What's happened?"

The former Navy officer stood there for half a beat as if the words refused to come. Finally she pulled in a breath. "Halcyon's been taken."

* * *

Notes: There's been a lot of speculating in the reviews on Miles Ellington and just how clever/trusting he would be with Scottie. Hopefully this answers the question? ;)

Next time - All hell breaks loose when Miles Ellington takes Halcyon Aegis.


	24. What Needs to be Done

**Chapter Twenty-Four: What Needs to be Done**

Halcyon Aegis. The idea itself of building up an intelligence company that stood alone and out from under any government entity had seemed like a pipedream years before, but then Howard Hargrave had made it happen. It had been his charm that won over all the right people, but his intellect that had put together the structure that made it work. The Artax Network, the training programs and recruiting techniques, and, of course, the scientists that he reached out to join in the efforts of brainstorming the next big idea that would continue to put the company at the forefront of the intelligence community. Often even beyond government-run programs.

Hargrave had had a moral center, unshakable at the time, and that's where Miles Ellington had hit the snag. They say everyone has a price, but he hadn't been able to find Howard Hargrave's. Not until Scottie. If Miles had to lose her, at least he was gaining Halcyon. All those years of planning hadn't been wasted, and in that he would take comfort.

Miles' gaze swept the war room that he stood in, his people handling the last remaining opposition to the takeover. He'd questioned McKinney's capability to set up what they needed to infiltrate the base, but he had to admit the man had come through. He hadn't survived long enough to see it, but Miles had, and Miles had every intention of surviving long enough to enjoy his conquest. The inside opposition had been trapped behind doors that no longer moved in the shutdown and the outside opposition was predictable in their own way. They wouldn't let this stand. Miles had no misgivings about that. Scottie and Howard would band together with their long-lost son and they'd send a team in. It'd be done quietly, because anything else would compromise the integrity of the company. If they wished Halcyon Aegis to survive this they would keep those in the know to a very small handful. No news outlets, no large scale attack by law enforcement. No. They would handle this covertly, but even they would need time for that, and if his calculations were right, it would give Miles just enough to get what he needed and leave the shell of Halcyon for the idiots so desperate to save it.

"Sir, we've secured the boardroom and the members when you're ready."

Miles nodded and turned, his boots sounding against the hard floor as he walked. He had his own capable team that he'd collected over the years. The one he was particularly fond of - and the one that was holding the building in lockdown no matter how hard Dumont DeSoto tried to get past it - was Nina Davis. She didn't look like much at first glance. Petite with short, dark hair and even darker eyes, he'd found her in a hole in the wall cafe in London just a few years before and she's proven her worth to him time and again since then. She fell into step with him as they made their way toward the boardroom.

"Security protocols have been rewritten. I'm currently running a program to find any back doors that Hargrave may have left."

"Leave nothing unturned," he said sharply. "Howard Hargrave has a penchant for hiding ways into the system and we need time."

"Paranoia has its perks."

"Find them. Deal with them. How's the transfer coming?"

"It's a lot of information. I can only push it so fast, especially with the other programs running." She paused and he saw her tilt her head as they continued to walk. "Some of the board members have access codes I need."

"Whatever you need. Just make it happen, Nina." Miles nodded at one of the men standing guard at the door and they pushed it open, allowing him to step through.

The board members looked shaken as they huddled around their table. One or two might have tried to fight, but they hadn't gotten very far. They looked up as he entered and Miles lifted his chin just a little. "Keep your seats," he instructed cheerfully. "As you likely know this facility has been taken and is on lockdown."

"You can't possibly imagine you'll get away with this," a woman at the far end of the table said sharply. "We don't function in a black hole. People will know and you can only barricade them out so long."

Miles flashed a smile. "I only need so long. Behave and you may come out of this alive."

The woman held his gaze for a long moment before nodding slowly, sitting back in her seat warily. His smile didn't falter. People were far too predictable. Give them a little hope and they'd do anything.

Add a little fear to balance it and things would run even smoother.

Miles motioned to three board members. "You, you, and you. If you'll step out into the hall you'll have an escort waiting."

"For what?" one asked nervously.

A smile stretched his thin lips. "Anything that I want, Mr Tallert," he answered, holding the man's gaze as all three members were escorted out.

* * *

It would be nice, just once, if Tom had the time to follow a doctor's advice after an injury. Rest, medication, and more rest always seemed to turn into taking just enough painkillers to stay on his feet, but a low enough dose that it didn't screw with his ability to think.

The doctor had argued with him the whole way as he'd disconnected himself from the machines and the IVs, but in the end they couldn't force him to stay. Liz had remained quiet through it all, her expression saying that she had known she couldn't talk him out of it, even if she wasn't thrilled at the idea. Nez's news had thrown yet another complication their way, and this one couldn't wait.

Tom winced as the lift came to a halt at the bottom and he felt the stop through every inch of his body. He looked over as Liz touched his arm and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He was okay. He had to be. There were no other choices at that point.

The doors gave a loud, increasingly familiar sound as the opened up and he took a deep breath, readying himself as it emptied them out into the Post Office, the armed guard at the entrance giving both he and Liz a brief nod and Tom's gaze swept out over the open war room. The Post Office had been emptied out of any unnecessary personnel to keep information contained as best as they could, but Liz's team, Reddington, Tom's team, the Hargraves, and Solomon were there. It was a ragtag group, but they'd proven that desperate times could bring them all together, and Halcyon Aegis in the hands of Miles Ellington was as desperate as they came.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Matias Solomon greeted cheerfully from his place. "You do _not_ look well, Keen."

Tom leveled a glare briefly in his direction, but switched to Dumont who had set up shop at an empty desk with his laptop. "Dumont, what have you found?"

Dumont huffed loudly, but never broke eye contact with his computer as he spoke. "McKinney must have given Ellington more than we knew. Combine that with the hacker they've been using and boom. He's got the whole building in lockdown. They've cut my eyes and ears into the place. For now."

"The Board was meeting," Nez said from her place. "They're hostages, as are any personnel on site."

"Ellington is betting on discretion," Samar stated.

"Then he's placed his bet wisely," Cooper answered. He glanced over to Tom. "I spoke to Panabaker before you got here. We have the green light to bring this under control, but it has to be done off books."

"If the public were to find out that the leading private intelligence agency had been compromised to this degree it would be impossible for Halcyon to function as it needs to," Scottie said from the chair she had claimed. "Ellington knows that."

"Okay, fine," Tom cut in, his patience running thin. "Howard, Nez, and I proved that we can break into the building if necessary."

"We've been talking about that," Aram jumped in. "You guys had Mr Hargrave to plant the code that overheated the systems, which was kind of genius, by the way. I mean, those systems are-"

"Aram," Cooper said tightly.

"Right. Sorry. We don't have that, but Dumont was able to work fast enough and created a back door of sorts to work a subtle program in."

"Technically I used a back door Howard had in place," Dumont said with a shrug.

Scottie shot Howard a look and he shrugged. "I don't like the idea of being shut out of my own company."

"We should have the program inserted soon," Aram continued. "Maybe... three hours? Four?"

Dumont nodded.

"Good. That gives us time to put together a team and get to New York," Tom said firmly. "We'll need transportation that won't set alarm bells off."

"That's already been taken care of," Reddington said from his place and Tom felt a strange chill sweep through him. A warning given off by years of finely tuned instincts.

"And what do you get out of all of this, Reddington? It's not your fight, and you don't exactly have the resources you used to to throw around."

"It's not," Reddington agreed, holding Tom's gaze. "I am a businessman and I'll be paid for my services at the end of this."

A quick glance to Scottie showed she knew what payment he had asked for and she wasn't happy with it.

Liz touched his arm, drawing his attention away from that particular situation, but it was Samar that spoke. "You said you wanted to put together a team."

"Yeah. Keeping it relatively small worked well last time. No reason to think it wouldn't this time. You, Nez, Solomon,-" he cringed inwardly as he said it - "Ressler, Liz, and me. We can go in through the vents."

"Are you cleared to be in the field?" Ressler asked skeptically.

Tom flashed him an innocent grin that he didn't look like he bought. "I'll hold," he said a little more truthfully than he'd planned.

Ressler took a moment, considering, before he nodded and turned to Solomon. "And we're sure we can trust him?"

"We can trust in the fact that he knows I'll put a bullet between his eyes if he even looks like he's betraying us," Tom answered dangerously, his gaze fixed on a smiling Solomon.

"I've missed you too, Keen," the other man said cheerfully.

"Fine. It's settled. Get set up and coordinate with Reddington to get there. You need to be wheels up in an hour," Cooper instructed.

Everyone moved to follow the order, but Howard reached out, catching his son by the arm. "Tom, a moment?"

"That's all I've got," he answered, but followed a few feet away. "What's up?"

"We need Ellington alive."

"I can't promise that. He's going to put up a hell of a fight and I'm not willing to lose anyone to that bastard."

"I understand, but you still need to make it happen. We don't need any of his people, but we need him."

"Why?"

Howard sighed and shook his head. "I know I may not have earned it yet, son, but I need you to trust me."

"I need more than that, Dad."

"I know you do, and I could tell you a lie as to why, but I won't. I will give you the reason after it's all said and done. For now-"

"Trust you?" Tom huffed. He didn't like it. It didn't set right, but he also didn't have time to argue it. "You're telling me as soon as we get back."

"I will."

He nodded. "Then I'll do my best to bring him back breathing."

"That's all I ask," Howard said and offered a smile. "I'm proud of you, Tom. You know that, don't you? You're a hell of a better man than most people could be having seen what you have. I love you, son."

Tom froze where he was and swallowed hard, the words unexpected and they took a moment to fully sink in. He cleared his throat and tried for a smile, the truth leaving him feeling exposed. "I love you too, Dad."

Howard nodded and he looked like he was trying to keep a careful cap on his own emotions. "Be safe."

He watched his father turn and set his jaw, thinking on it, barely hearing Liz's approach. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I think so."

"No way to talk you out of going in?"

Tom chuckled, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "No more than me talking you out of it."

"We're a stubborn pair."

"Understatement." He watched his father move to speak to Reddington, Scottie, and Cooper. "Howard wants Ellington alive."

"He probably has a few questions for him."

"Maybe, but why not just tell me that? I think it has to do with Reddington's payment."

Liz hummed softly. "What would Reddington want with him?"

"No clue, but if we're going to just hand over the man that changed the entire course of my life to him, I need to know why."

He heard her pull in a long breath. "One thing at a time," she reminded him softly. "Let's get through this alive and then we'll find out what Reddington and Howard are up to."

* * *

When Reddington had procured a new jet, Liz wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure that it was his or just in loan, but seeing Edward in the cockpit did leave her with a sudden and sweeping relief. In everything that had happened, she hadn't had time to think too much on what had happened to him, but it was good to see he was alive and well. He'd always seemed like a decent man, even if she hadn't spent a great deal of time speaking with him. He was, as far as she'd been able to tell, yet another quirky soul that was loyal to Reddington first and foremost.

Tom was with the others towards the front of the plane, going over details of the infiltration. He looked better, at least. He was still a little paler than usual and the bags under his eyes were a little darker, but the rush of fluids and antibiotics they'd pushed through his system at the hospital had helped and no he was focused in on the task at hand. She should be there as well, she knew, but Reddington had decided to go with them. Why, she wasn't sure, and even though she had told her husband to focus on what they were doing, she was having trouble taking her own advice with the mounting questions and the one with all the answers lounging towards the back of the plane, glass of scotch in hand.

Reddington looked up as Liz slipped into the seat across from him. "Shouldn't you be going over last minute details?"

"Why do you want Ellington?"

He blinked at her for half a moment before leaning back. "Who says I do?"

"You. That pause. Thank you, now answer the question."

A slow smile stretched his thin lips. "Have you ever stopped to think on how far you've come, Elizabeth? It's been… four years now? Since I gave myself up to the FBI. I did it to protect you from all the demons that you didn't even hear knocking at your door yet. You've beaten them back, one by one. You've taken challenge after challenge and learned from it in ways many never do."

"And you know that flattery isn't going to distract me," Liz said, her voice sweet, but the meaning clear.

"No, nor would I expect it to. I simply wanted to express how much you have… grown. I missed so much that I do know I can be-"

 _Smothering_ , she wanted to say, but instead let her expression ease just a little for the man that was opening up just a little to her. "A little overprotective?"

He hummed a soft affirmation.

"Why do you want Ellington?"

"I don't, but a colleague of mine is willing to trade him for a port I need to rebuild my business."

Liz pulled in a soft breath. He had been struggling, she knew. Thirty years of work had been undone in a few months due to his war with Kate Kaplan. He needed to rebuild, both for himself and if the Task Force's deal was to remain intact. He needed to be useful. She knew that. She understood that.

"You look troubled, Elizabeth."

Her gaze met his. "Tom needs answers. This man-"

"I've secured your husband's answers."

Liz blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Howard asked me to retrieve some information for him. He has that information and as far as I am aware he means to share it with Tom as soon as this is over. Most anything beyond that can be filled in by Scottie herself."

She had expected to find yet another reason to be frustrated with him, but instead she was left staring. He'd made sure Tom was covered. He didn't have to. There was no immediate danger that Reddington was saving her from by ensuring that Tom knew about his past and what had happened to him as a child, but he'd gone out of his way to help bring those answers to a place where Tom would have access to them. He had done what was in his power to help her husband find closure.

"He was never my choice for you, Elizabeth, but who you choose to love isn't my choice. You love him. You chose him. That has to be enough for me."

Liz reached forward, her hand touching his, and she was overwhelmed. "Thank you."

He nodded, his smile small but real. It soured then, and she didn't have to look behind her to see what he was glaring at. "I do wish he would make wiser decisions on the team he put together for this."

"Desperate times. We don't have a lot of choices."

"He threatened to skin you alive under one employer and nearly killed you and Agnes for the next. His loyalties are fluid."

"And we don't trust him."

"But Ms Rowan does."

"And Tom trusts her."

Reddington sighed. "You should make sure you're prepared. We'll talk more after all this is dealt with."

She squeezed his hand and stood, pausing there. "This, Reddington."

"Hmm?"

"Sharing. This is how you and I figure out all of this craziness. How we learn to trust each other, because we need to. I want to."

"I haven't forgotten your suitcase, Elizabeth. After all of this is said and done."

She nodded and turned, joining her husband, her friends, and one man that she hoped wouldn't betray them. Tom was focused, but pulled her in as soon as she took her seat, explaining what she'd missed without missing a beat. Liz listened, adding in where she needed to. This was no easy task, but they could do it. As long as tech did their part - which with Aram and Dumont leading it they would - they might just be able to pull it off as come out of it alive.

* * *

Notes: I feel like I need to apologize for the longer waits that have been happening between chapters. For some reason the end of this story really has been giving me a hard time. It's been a combination of a lot of things, but I hope the quality is remaining, even if it's taking a bit longer than usual for me to piece the chapters together.

I joked a couple of chapters ago was my 'shipping' chapter because there were ships coming together from all directions, so this one was my proud Dads chapter :P

Liz and Tom deserve proud dads that tell them how proud they are of everything they've become despite their hardships.

Next time - Grey Matters and the Task Force fight against the odds and infiltrate Halcyon to take try to take it back.


	25. About the Trust

**Chapter Twenty-Five: About the Trust**

"I get the craziest idea you don't trust me, Keen."

Tom looked up from where he was finishing his last check over the weapons he was carrying. Unlike the last time they broke into the facility, there would be no tranks this time. These were not decent people just doing their jobs. These were Ellington's men, and if they weren't able to get in and get the job done it wasn't just them that wouldn't make it out that day. Tom had seen what Ellington had been willing to do to his own loyal people when he set the detonators to go off in his own facility, and he could only imagine how much crueler he'd be to Halcyon's employees and anyone else that got in his way once he got his hands on the Artax Network and any other number of tools that Halcyon had at its disposal. This wasn't the time for hashing out old grudges, but letting Solomon believe that he trusted him wouldn't do any good either. He needed to know the consequences of betraying them on this. "Because I don't. You're here entirely on Nez's recommendation. No one else's."

"Not even mommy dearest?" he teased, leaning against the van they would drive in.

Tom shot him a glare and Solomon raised his hands. "Alright. Alright. I just thought it would be prudent to put the past behind us - _again_ \- to make sure that everyone gets out of this alive. We don't have to like each other to work together."

"One thing we can agree on," Tom groused.

"You boys just don't shoot each other and we'll be good," Nez said, purposefully walking between them.

Tom fit his handgun back into its holster. First thing was first, they had to infiltrate the garage. Just like the time before, it was going to be the easiest entrance and exit point. They didn't know how much resistance they'd be up against, though, and they needed to pay it smart or this would be over before it had begun.

The first stop would need to be the server room. From there they could insert a drive that would give Dumont and Aram access to the video feeds and would open the door to get them all the way into the system. That was Nez and Solomon's assignment. Ressler and Samar were responsible for getting to the Board and getting them - and any other hostages they could free - out and to safety. There should be more than a few Halcyon guards to help with that once they found where Ellington was keeping them.

Tom and Liz were responsible for getting in to Ellington himself. Where that was, they couldn't and wouldn't know for sure until Dumont got them access to the the internal security cameras.

"How exactly do you see this ending?"

Tom glanced over to find Ressler approaching, fixing the straps on his tactical vest into place. "What do you mean?" he asked, the words careful as he watched his wife's partner.

"Ellington and Halcyon. You know that there's no scenario in which Halcyon walks off with him, right? I just want to be straight with you on that. I know this guy…. I know this is personal for you."

The dark haired man loosed a slow breath. Ressler thought that the FBI would end up with him, and as strange as it was, Tom almost wished they would. He didn't like the idea of handing Ellington over at the end of this, but he knew that the world rarely worked on what he wanted. The deal had already been struck and Ellington was the payment. It wasn't like he wouldn't end up in a deep, dark hole somewhere, just not one owned by the federal government. Explaining that to Ressler as they were about to breach the premises wouldn't do anyone any good though.

"I know," he said carefully, "but right now we have a job to do. That's what we all need to focus on."

Ressler gave a sharp nod. "Good to hear."

They found a weak point in the physical defenses and moved into the garage, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't have eyes on them soon. Tom slipped around, his training kicking in and his boots were silent against the concrete. Howard had told him his life, his experiences, everything had prepared him for what would come, and he hadn't known the half of it. Whatever damage Bud had done to over the years, he had given him a thorough education in the art of espionage. His teenage years and into his adult life had been spent in study and working towards perfection. He was good. He had been one of the best that St Regis had had run through the program, and now he knew why, and he was going to use every skill - natural and learned - to make the man that had taken him as a child regret ever allowing him to get to this point.

He took a shot from around a beam, the suppressor on the end of his gun quieting the sound. They moved in closer and closer, each guard falling without knowing what hit them.

"There weren't as many as we thought," Liz murmured as they reconvened at the other end of the garage.

"They took heavy casualties at their base," Samar pointed out.

"Don't underestimate them," Tom answered, pressing the comm in his ear. "Dumont. You ready?"

" _Make it quick, guys. Soon as I give it the go, we've used the only in we've got till you get to the server room._ "

Tom glanced at Nez and she gave him a firm nod in response. He drew in a deep breath. "Okay, Dumont. Let's do this."

* * *

She was partial to the private sector. Nez had seen both sides of the coin and the private sector of the intelligence community allowed for more creativity for operatives to work. It had been a steady observation, but even she had to admit that the Task Force _might_ be an exception to the rule that had formed for her. They were good, and they'd only proven it again as they had infiltrated Halcyon's lower levels. Ressler's aim put even hers to shame and Navabi had good instincts. Her first interaction with the other woman hadn't set her up to be impressed, but the more she worked with her, the more impressed she was. She was intelligent, well trained, and resourceful. When this was all said and done, she might have to talk to Tom about making Navabi a job offer.

After this was over. First, they had to win Halcyon back.

Nez glanced across the way to see Solomon motion to her, the signals between them familiar and comfortable. She nodded, her movements mirroring his as they slipped down the hall towards the server room, both nearly silent on their feet and with a knowledge of the layout that their enemies didn't have at their disposal.

They met two guards on the way. Nez put a bullet in one's chest and Solomon put his down with one between the eyes. She caught his gaze briefly and found his expression nearly unreadable. It was cold, calculated, and for the briefest moment she remembered the way Tom had all but dragged her away when Solomon had been coming for them not too long ago. He'd chosen her side this time. Not Scottie's, not Howard's, and certainly not Tom's. It didn't matter that no one else trusted him. They didn't know why he was there, but she knew. He wouldn't betray them.

The space was dark, signs of the generators working overtime in the way that the overhead lights were dimmed. Multiple computers were still down, leaving a room that was usually humming eerily quiet. Nez would have expected more guards. Surely Ellington had a at least considered something like this. Why leave the best way to open the gates poorly guarded?

"Something isn't right," Solomon said quietly, his gun still ready for anyone that might slip out of a dark corner. "Too few guards, too little activity. Ellington's not here to hold HQ."

Nez frowned deeply. "You think he's here for something specific."

"Or a few specific things." Solomon's dark gaze slid over to meet hers. "I imagine Howard has his own set of secrets hidden away in Halcyon."

"Anything big enough to do all of this could be detrimental. We need to get Dumont linked in." Nez took a seat at the computer that Dumont typically used in the room and started working on bypassing the security measures that were in place. A small sound around the corner drew both of their attentions. She looked up to Solomon. "I'll be in in just a sec. Go."

He paused for just a moment, lingering, but then nodded. She watched him disappear out of the corner of his eye, but was immediately drawn back to the system in front of her as it gave off the signal. She slipped the jump drive Dumont had given her in and watched it do its work.

* * *

There were days that Donald Ressler really questioned where the events of recent years had taken him. Just a little over a year ago they had discovered Halcyon Aegis - a company he had never heard of - during their investigation into Liz's "death." He'd felt dirty working with them then, and after everything that had happened, there they were again. He knew this was important, that the information that Halcyon stored could devastate their country if it got into the wrong hands - and Miles Ellington was definitely the wrong hands - but what then? Tom hadn't want to focus on that, but that was all Ressler could think of. Tom was an operative, willing to bend the rule book to the point of breaking the binding, and some days Ressler was pretty sure he tossed the book out the window when it suited him better. He could get away with not having to feel responsible for handing over what was clearly dangerous to untrustworthy people, especially when those people were the parents he'd never known. The Task Force shouldn't feel as comfortable with that out come. He knew they shouldn't, and with everything that had happened recently Ressler couldn't help but feel like he was letting himself go deeper and deeper into a world that he had never wanted to belong in.

"I expected more opposition," Samar said softly as they rounded the corner into a cleared hallway. "Something feels off about it."

"You think Scottie's setting us up?"

"Scottie, Howard. I don't trust either of them after spending any time at all with them."

Ressler cracked a small smirk at that. "And I thought it was just me."

His partner snorted and pressed her back against the wall as they neared what should be the boardroom. It was locked down tight, windows closed, and the lobby outside was a ghost town. Not even the receptionist remained at her seat and there was no sight of anyone anywhere or any sound coming from the closed down room. Samar was right. Something was wrong here, and Ressler couldn't help the feeling that they were walking into a trap.

There was a soft buzzing sound in his ear, signaling the comm line coming up. Well, at least that part of the plan was falling into place. That meant that Rowan and Solomon had made it to the server room and that their technician was breaking back into the systems.

" _Agents Ressler and Navabi, can you read me?_ " Aram's voice suddenly echoed in his ear. " _Looks like we have audio up on our end. Are we getting through?_ "

"We hear you, Aram," Samar answered. "Do you have visual yet?"

" _Working on it. Ellington's hacker has shut us out, but Mr Hargrave had a workaround. We're bringing up visual feeds little by little._ "

"What do you have for the boardroom?" Ressler asked, glancing back down the hall.

" _Nothing. I've got nothing on the visual end, but I should be able to unlock it. Give me just a sec_."

There was a long pause from Aram's end, though they could hear him working frantically on his keyboard. Finally there was sound from the door like a deadbolt being undone and the shutters on the windows unlocked, even if they didn't open. They were in.

Ressler looked over to Samar who nodded, switching to the opposite side of the door. He pushed it open and moved forward with his gun held ready, but stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he got a good view of the room.

"Ressler?" Samar called softly and he heard her slip in behind him, but he couldn't quite manage to form up a response. He heard her loose a breath next to him. "I guess we know now that the Hargraves are at least the lesser of the two evils."

Clear blue eyes darted from one side of the room to the other, his gaze sweeping over the carnage. It had been a bloodbath. Most of them looked like they'd been sitting around the long table when someone had open fired in them, killing some instantly, others taking longer. A couple were on the floor, slipped out of their seats, and there were a handful of seats that didn't appear to be occupied at all. He wasn't sure just how many board members were supposed to be there that day. All he could hope was that those empty seats indicated that someone had escaped.

" _Everything okay on that end? I'm showing it's unlocked,_ " Aram asked from the Post Office and Ressler blinked, shaking his head just a little.

"He killed them. Gunned them down in their seats."

There was a long pause from the other end before Aram made a soft, horrified sound.

"Ressler," Samar called sharply from where she was bent over someone.

He moved over to them to see her knelt down next to a man in a bloodstained suit, her hands pressed hard against a wound. He barely looked conscious, but was struggling to speak. Ressler stooped as low as he dared without opening them up to someone coming back in and taking them by surprise.

"What?" Samar coaxed, leaning closer to the dying man.

Ressler watched his lips move before he went limp and Samar finally sat back. "The network and whitehall," she repeated, her gaze flickering up. "He's after the Artax Network, but what is whitehall?"

"Not what, who," Ressler said lowly. "Liz told me about him. He's some sort of scientist that Howard and Scottie were fighting over."

"Now Ellington wants him," Samar murmured. She reached up to her comm. "Did you get that, Aram?"

There was a long pause on the other side before Aram came back to them. " _Sorry, we've got an other problem. Ellington's hacker is trying to get into our systems while we're trying to get into Halcyon's._ "

"Yeah, well if Ellington gets ahold of Whitehall that's going to be just one of the problems," Ressler said gruffly. "Aram, do you have eyes on the Keens? They're going to need all the backup the can get."

* * *

Solomon's shoes were silent on the hard floor as he moved around one of the shelves of servers, gun held ready for whatever he would find. They weren't alone, but whoever Ellington had left to guard the area was shy. Maybe they just needed an invite.

He rounded the corner to see a small collection of guards and a woman sitting at a small table. There were three people under guard with her, likely board members that were being used to bypass security that she couldn't hack her way through.

"Think I found our hacker, Dumont," Solomon said quietly into the comm.

" _Can you take her out of play?_ "

"Permanently?" he clarified.

There was a long pause. " _I'll leave that up to your discretion_ , _buddy_ ," he said uncomfortably. " _I just need her to stop trying to hack our systems this way_."

Solomon smirked and readied himself. Once the first shot went off he'd have to finish it quickly.

The first armed guard fell, but that sent the others into action. Solomon slipped around the back of a shelf full of servers, feeling a bullet nick his arm as he moved. Another shot took another guard to the floor, but he saw the hacker being rushed away, the three people in full panic as bullets flew over their heads from where they were tied down to their chairs.

" _Whatever you're doing, buddy, keep it up_ ," Dumont sounded in his ear.

"Getting shot at?" Solomon grumbled and pressed his back against the wall.

" _I'm getting back into the systems. Should be able to get wired into all sections, get doors open, get you guys some backup_."

"Since when were we expecting backup?"

" _Since I got the cameras open to the western-most section of the building. From what I can tell they took the building over covertly, through locks and system overrides, not by manpower. I get the doors back open and-_ "

"We have Halcyon's operatives that were in site. Dumont, get those doors open."

" _Working on it_."

Solomon caught movement out of the corner of his eye and threw himself to his right, barely missing the shower of bullets that left the wall he'd been standing against riddled with holes. He rolled to his feet, halfway to standing when a sharp kick to his back took him back down to the floor. He hit hard, knocking the breath out of him. The pressure released enough for him to roll to his back and he looked up at the man that towered over him. How he'd managed to sneak up on him, Solomon had no idea, but he had him at the disadvantage now.

Slowly, Solomon raised his hands, gun loosely clutched there. "You do know that Ellington is going to die, don't you? We're into the system again. It's only a matter of time before we overtake him, just like we did at your base. You know what he did to his people there? Set a bomb and left them to die. What makes you think he has any higher regard for your life?"

The larger man didn't say anything, but motioned for Solomon to stand, taking his gun from him as he did. There was something about the look he was giving him that set every instinct in him on edge. If he was going to walk away from this, it'd only be because the other man was dead.

He waited, watched, and moved without any warning. Solomon reached out to pull the gun from the other man's hand, but only managed to jerk it to one side. The shot went off, the bullet buried in the wall behind him, and Solomon swung around so that his leg caught the crooks of the larger man's knees, buckling them under him. The second attempt to get the gun fared better than the first and he didn't hesitate as he raised it and shot. On instinct he pivoted around, taking a second shot at another one of Ellington's men that had come back to help. He watched him crumble and stood there for a long moment, trying to catch his breath.

The first step he tried to take sent him tilting, and he barely caught himself on the wall. He looked down, the blood already visible from the wound that his brain hadn't quite registered yet. He leaned heavily against the wall, a curse leaving him softly as he slid down.

* * *

They were closing in. Once Dumont had eyes and ears back online it has made things easier. There were still plenty of blind spots throughout the base - something Tom had been very glad of not too long ago when he'd made his own escape - but it helped. They knew where Ellington was, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that he was going to do his best to escape to the streets. They had to stop him before he did. If they didn't, he'd get away with intelligence that would not only be detrimental to Halcyon as a company, but to national security as well.

Tom ducked back and out of the way of a bullet that pinged far too close to his head for his liking. Liz slipped ahead of him and he bit back the urge to try to stop her. He had to trust in her training and her instincts just as much as she trusted in his. She was good. He knew that, and as they were shooting at the woman he loved, he had to remind himself of that.

Liz returned fire, taking one of them down with a well aimed shot and they both ducked behind cover. It wasn't the first time they'd been in a firefight together, but he found himself watching her. No, she had never needed his protection, no matter how much he wanted to make sure that she was safe.

"What?" she asked, and it wasn't until then that he realized he was smiling just a little.

Tom shrugged, not bothering to hide it now, and he let his gaze shift back to the bend in the hall. "I married a badass."

She snorted a laugh at the explanation, and a smirk of her own tilted her lips. "Twice," she she pointed out.

That pulled a grin from him. "Twice."

He watched her expression turn a little more serious as they both stood with their backs pressed against the wall, listening and waiting. It had gone silent, the shouts of the people they'd been closing in on disappearing with the gunfire and it left an eerie quiet in its wake.

Tom reached up to his comm. "Dumont, you have eyes?"

" _Not where you are, Tom-Tom_ ," the rushed answer came back.

He looked over to Liz who gave a sharp nod. They couldn't just wait for the guarantee that it was safe. They both started forward, ready for the slightest hint that it was a setup.

The grenade rolled out into the hall and for just a moment time stopped. Liz froze in front of him, her entire posture rigid as she focused on it. Tom reached out, fingers latching around the collar of her vest and he tugged her back, both of them struggling to get away as the blast went off, throwing them off their feet.

Tom hit hard, feeling the world pulse around him but he struggled to hold onto consciousness. He blinked, shifting so that he could see Liz where she had landed. She was already getting to her knees and it looked like she was saying something but his ears were ringing too loudly to make it out.

He looked up as he heard her shout suddenly, the sound the first one louder than the ringing, and he watched as one of Ellington's men hauling her the rest of her way to her feet. Liz's gaze hardened as he wrapped an arm around her throat, restricting her airway.

"Don't even think about it, Keen," the man holding her said dangerously. "You may be fast, but even you're not fast enough to get here before I kill her. What's your wife's life worth to you?"

Clear blue eyes shifted to meet a darker shade and Tom pulled in a steadying breath. It was about trust. "I'm not the one you should be worried about."

Liz struck back hard, elbow hitting body armor, but her captor loosened his hold on her just enough that she could slam her head back into his nose, sending him stumbling backwards with a sharp cry. Tom leapt forward, diving for the gun that he'd dropped when the blast had thrown them both, and he took the shot. The man that had just threatened to kill his wife crumbled to the ground.

Both Keens stood in the wake of it, breathing hard, and Liz glanced over at him. Tom reached out, pulling her close and he wrapped his arms around her, focusing for just a moment on the fact that she was alright. They were alright. "You know, we do make a pretty good team," he murmured softly.

Liz loosened her hold on him, but only for a moment as she tipped up on her toes, her hand at the side of his face as she pressed a kiss to his lips, the after effects of the adrenaline rush pulling them both in. He felt her smile against him. "Well you did marry a badass."

" _Hey guys, I've got eyes on Ellington_ ," Dumont interrupted. " _We've got eyes on Ellington_. He's heading towards the basement level."

"There are a few exits that way. We'll head him off," Tom answered, looking at Liz. "You ready?"

She nodded leaning down to pick up her dropped weapon from earlier. "Let's finish this."

* * *

Notes: This chapter and the one following it were (and are, as I have not actually 100% finished the next chapter, but didn't want to make you guys wait any longer) actually very difficult to write. I feel like action chapters either flow very quickly for me or I have to fight my way through every sentence. This one has definitely felt like an uphill fight. I just hope it doesn't read that way!

Still working on the next chapter, but I want to make sure it flows before posting it. Thank you for your patience!

Next time - Nez goes one-on-one with Ellington's hacker and Ellington makes a play for escape.


	26. At the End

**Chapter Twenty-Six: At the End**

Nez took the hacker off her feet mid stride, putting her in her back hard enough to stun her. She had slipped ahead, taking advantage that some of the guards had doubled back, leaving her exposed. The hacker stared up, trying to catch her breath, and Nez stepped forward with her gun drawn. "You don't get to breathe without my say so," she told the younger woman and reached out. "Hand me your bag. Slowly."

She held the hacker's dark gaze as she took the bag from her, feeling the weight of the laptop inside of it. "Your people don't care enough about you to come back. Ellington used you and abandoned you."

"Abandoned's a bit harsh," she answered with a shrug, her accent similar to what Kat's had been and Nez felt a new wave of anger.

"He left you here to rot. Your best chance is hoping you haven't done so much damage that no one will strike a deal with you."

The shorter woman snorted a laugh. "He left me here? And how many people did your boss send you in with? Not enough. The Hargraves sent you in to be slaughtered while they sit back in their nice, comfy little war room and watch you do their dirty work without any backup."

" _Got the doors open and backup is on its way,_ " Dumont chimed in in her ear and Nez smirked.

"You've lost. We're going to find Ellington, but if you tell me where he is we might be able to work something out."

Dark eyes met hers. "Where's your buddy?"

There was something about her tone that sent a sweeping chill through Nez and the two women watched each other for a long moment even as Nez heard footsteps behind her. She turned, ready for a fight, and found her own people rounding the corner. Nez turned a smug look on the hacker. "Can't say I didn't give you a chance."

One of the Halcyon operatives moved closer, speaking softly enough that Nez was the only one that could hear. The uncomfortable feeling returned, but she schooled her expression, nodding. "Don't take your eye off her," she instructed as she started back down the hall.

He had taken out Ellington's men, leaving their bodies scattered. It looked like the board members that the hacker had been using had been caught in the crossfire. Having a moment to look closer Nez recognized Maggie Ellis was being untied from a chair, beaten and bloodied, but she looked mostly whole.

It was more than could be said for the man slumped against the wall.

Nez swallowed hard, steeling herself as she approached the operative knelt down next to Matias Solomon, putting pressure on a wound that had already bled too much. He looked back as she approached. "Med team was released and are on their way, ma'am," he assured her.

"I've got him," she said quietly a took the man's place, watching a pair of dark, unfocused eyes slide sluggishly open.

Solomon smirked a little for her. "Much better option," he chuckled, coughing out the last word.

Nez pressed a little harder and a hiss of pain escaped him. "Easy. It doesn't do any good if we don't slow the bleeding until they patch you up. You're not dying here."

"I am stubborn," he acknowledged. He leaned back, his head thumping lightly on the wall. "We have them?"

"Close."

"Job's not finished at close."

"We've done what we came here to do. Guess you'll have to trust Tom."

Solomon groaned dramatically and it pulled a small smile from Nez.

"Go," he murmured. "You're still in your feet. Keen needs all the help he can get."

She caught his gaze and held it. "I'm right where I need to be."

He stared at her, confusion flickering through his eyes and she leaned forward and pressed a short kiss to his forehead. It was hard. She knew it was hard. The job was was truly everything for people like them, but maybe - just maybe - they could figure it out what was beyond it. Tom had. If he could, as dedicated as he was, maybe she stood a chance at something more. It was worth the risk to find out.

* * *

"Pacing isn't doing anyone any good."

Scottie turned, leveling a glare at her husband who sat calm and collected in a seat, studying the monitors where they could see the carnage that had ripped through the halls of their company but could do nothing about it. She had spent plenty of time relying on others in the field, running point from where she was and trusting in them to get the job done. She had never felt so helpless not being in the fray. "I should have gone in with them. They don't know Miles like I do."

"And he doesn't know them like he knows you."

She frowned, leaning on the desk he was sitting at and she chewed on her bottom lip, dark eyes fixing on the screens. "I need to see him before Red ships him off to wherever he'll send him."

"You don't, Scottie. You need to let it go."

She nudged his chair, drawing his gaze. She needed to make sure she had his full attention and she spoke lowly so only he could hear her. "I know I hurt you with what I did-"

"Is now really the time?"

"-but you and I have time to speak, to find… closure or whatever it is that we'll find. He _betrayed_ me, Howard. I grew up with Miles and he took my son, threatened to kill my husband, and tried to kill me on more than one occasion. I need this."

She watched him carefully, the truth burning her tongue, raw and painful, and she could see his clever mind turning the words over. "Reddington has information from St Regis about Tom's past. Things even you can't fill in. We _owe_ him that, Scottie. We both do, and Miles Ellington is the payment for that."

"And he'll have it. I will hand him over to Red personally, but I need five minutes."

Howard pushed a long breath through his nose. "Fine."

"Thank you," she breathed, surprised at how easily he'd given in, but she wasn't going to risk the decision.

"Just know if you screw us - if you screw our son on this - you won't get any more chances."

It sounded like a threat. His tone was dangerous, his gaze sharp, but it was hiding the fear beneath it. She could see it just below the surface. He was worried she would betray them for Miles.

"Medics are with Solomon," Dumont called over.

"And Agent Keen and Tom are closing in on Ellington as well," Aram added.

"Remind them that we need him alive," Howard said from his place.

"Their backup?" Cooper asked.

"We've redirected some of the onsite operatives their direction. Ressler and Navabi should meet up with them pretty quick too," Dumont said as his fingers flew over the keyboard in front of him.

Cooper nodded silently, watching the screen as it focused in on what Scottie recognized as the lower level exit. Miles was trying to make his escape and Christopher and his wife would be the only thing in his way.

Howard's hand touched her arm. "He's good."

"I know."

"He'll be alright."

She nodded, not trusting her voice. He would be alright. He had to be.

* * *

Ressler and Samar met Liz and Tom just before the firefight broke out. There had been no time to exchange information or even get on the same page as the bullets started to fly, ricocheting and biting themselves in the wall behind them. It was a distraction. They all knew it was a distraction. The problem was that it was working.

The ginger agent pulled back, avoiding the spray of bullets that were covering the escape. They'd followed Ellington down into the basement levels that had access to the streets.

"Can't your people lock it down?" Samar shouted, returning fire.

"It's a manual lock off the grid," Tom answered, ducking down. "It's supposed to provide an escape option if someone ever took the building."

"Or Ellington a way out," Ressler grumbled.

Tom shifted over to Ressler's side, joining him in a crouched position. "If I give you cover, you think you can get up to the catwalk and get a clean shot of him? We've got to bring him in alive."

Clear blue eyes surveyed the space. He didn't have a rifle, but he had hit small targets with more in the way than this. It would have to line up just right, but if it did they'd have him. "Maybe."

"I'll take maybe," Tom said. "I've got you covered. The stairs are there, catwalk will lead you to the opening."

"You get me shot and-"

His partner's husband flashed a grin. "Don't trust me, Ressler?"

The agent snorted and shot him a warning glare as he moved. He'd never admit it out loud, and even thinking it made him uncomfortable, but he did trust him to have his back here. He just hoped that trust wasn't about to get him killed.

Ressler took off for the stairs and Tom covered his run through an opening that would have left him vulnerable. He took the steps two at a time, risking a look when he reached the top. Ellington was nearly to his exit and they were almost out of time. He had to take the shot then and there or he wouldn't get to take it at all. He aimed, hands steady, and shot.

Ellington faltered in his race for his escape, stumbling, but not falling all the way to the ground. Ressler cursed softly. He'd only winged him. He darted forward, closing some of the space, and stopped as the older man started up the ladder to freedom.

He hesitated just a moment. There was no clean shot, but he couldn't let him get away. Whatever Tom thought he'd get out of the man wasn't worth him getting away there.

The bullet pinged the ladder and missed him, Ellington climbing out of sight.

Ressler loosed a breath and leaned against the railing. The others had taken out what was left of Ellington's support. He was alone and injured. They could find him. They _would_ find him. They had to.

"Ress?" He leaned over the railing to see Liz staring up. "Dumont says they think they know where he's going. We're going to head them off."

He glanced over to see the man in question speaking into his comm, his expression focused. It had been close, but they weren't done yet.

* * *

There wasn't time to stop and try to patch himself up. Miles hadn't gotten a good look at the person that had taken a lucky shot, but blood was soaking through his jacket from the wound in his left shoulder. He held the arm close as he walked.

It was one thing after another, and he wasn't accustomed to losing. He had lost more men than he had expected at their HQ, and then his team that he'd taken Halcyon with had not been enough. They should have been. They were enough to take over the facility, and he'd never meant to hold it. He'd meant to take the codes to the Artax Network and find Whitehall, but Scottie had chosen her team too well. Her son had led them. Miles had seen Tom Keen amongst those fighting. When this was said and done, when he had everything he needed, he was going to make the boy regret that decision. He had plenty to lose, and that started right here.

Miles gripped his hand gun in his right hand as he climbed the steps of the apartment complex. It was getting dark outside, but he had lost any tail that they had managed to follow him. It would be a small window, he knew, but if he got what he'd come for it would be a devastating blow.

His hands trembled as he picked the lock, finally hearing it click to open. He pushed the door, sending it swinging, and it opened into a tiny apartment. Miles kept his gun up and ready as he inched in, ready. The room was littered with boards with notes scribbled on them, loose papers, and notebooks. There was a cup of coffee on the table, though, and it was warm to the touch.

"Lower it," a voice said from behind and Miles felt brief pressure on the back of his head to indicate that there was a weapon there. Slowly, purposefully, he lowered his gun.

* * *

Tom adjusted his grip on his own weapon, careful to watch any movements for a sign of a fight. He was injured. Ressler had been frustrated with the shot, but it had slowed Ellington down enough for them to get ahead of him and now they truly were at the end. They'd gotten Whitehall out of the safehouse before he'd gotten here and been waiting with a few minutes to spare.

"What now, Christopher?" he asked, his tone more amused than worried. He was either underestimating him or trying to make Tom think he was.

"Now you drop it and kick it away. You're going away."

"Going away? Is that what you think is happening?"

"I think that you've exhausted your resources. You're done, Ellington. This last ditch effort failed. You don't get Halcyon, our network, or Whitehall. If you're lucky, you'll get a deep dark hole somewhere to live out the rest of your life."

"Listen to you. _Our_ network. You've really taken ownership, haven't you? Yet here you are…. what? Cuffing me so your wife's team can take me away? You and I both know that, no matter how thinly stretched my organization may be that I have people inside. I won't land in a deep dark hole. I'll be out soon enough and there will be nowhere you can hide. How's that pretty little daughter of yours?"

Tom closed his eyes briefly, gathering himself and talking down the instinct to immediately put down the threat. He wanted to. This man had caused so much pain and could continue causing it. If one thing went wrong and he got away it put his whole family in danger. He knew about Agnes, and could she ever truly be safe if he was breathing? Were his answers worth that?

Ellington must have sensed his indecision because he turned suddenly, striking out. Tom lurched back, barely missing the blow to the face and stepped around. Ellington was moving slower, the injury hampering his movements, and Tom swung around, landing a hard blow to his injured shoulder. Ellington went down and Tom took hold of his right arm, wrenching it behind him until he gave a satisfying cry of pain.

"Feel better?" Nez asked, entering the apartment.

Tom put his boot against Ellington's back and the man stopped squirming. He leaned in, closer to him, his voice controlled. "I don't have to kill you," he said lowly, "because you know what I'm capable of. I'm trying to be better, but you come at my family ever again and I will personally show you every technique Bud McCready taught me in interrogation until you bleed out. Am I clear?" He shoved him hard, receiving a grunt in response as he straightened, looking at his partner. "Everything set?"

"Just like you said," she assured him.

He nodded. "Good. Our people only."

"Got it, boss," she answered with a smirk.

"Nez?"

"Hmm?" she answered, cuffing Ellington none too gently.

"How is he?"

She paused, her expression darkening. "In surgery."

"Get him loaded up and go."

"Tom-"

"Go."

He watched her nod, not risking her voice, and she met a couple of Halcyon operatives in the hall to escort Ellington. As they moved, Liz came into view, watching him carefully. Tom stood there for a long moment, feeling a strange sensation washing over him. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, but it left him tired and worn. It was over. It was finally over.

He didn't notice Liz moving until her arms were wrapped around him and he sank into her embrace, his chin resting on her shoulder as he pulled her close. He could feel her fingers grip the back of his jacket, holding on, and she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "You okay?"

Tom cleared his threat, trying to pull himself back around. "I, uh…" He swallowed hard. "Full disclosure, Ellington's in Halcyon custody. I'll talk to Cooper after the exchange has been made."

"He'll understand. Maybe not at first, but he'll understand."

"Your partner may not."

"I'll talk to Ress," she promised, pulling away just a little so that she could meet his gaze. "Hey," she called softly, "are you okay?"

He loosed a shaky breath. "I don't know."

Liz nodded slowly and leaned back into him, her ear pressed against his chest and he kissed the top of her head, doing his best to focus on the peace she always brought to him.

* * *

She didn't have much time, but if she had all the time in the world it might not have been enough. She'd trusted him once. Idolized him once. He was brilliant and they'd been going in the same direction. Life seldom worked out as planned though. You just had to learn to move with the twists and turns.

The van pulled into the warehouse and Scottie Hargrave checked her watch. Ten minutes, and she imagined not a second more. She closed her eyes, her fingers touching a small shell necklace inside the pocket of her dress, her lips moving and her voice barely a whisper. "Rubber baby buggy bumpers."

"Ma'am," the driver greeted her and her eyes popped open. It was time. He walked with her around to the back, opening the doors.

Miles Ellington sat cuffed in the back seat and Scottie climbed in, the doors closing behind them. Funny. She'd been in a van much like this one not too long ago and Tom had sat across from her. Miles wouldn't be so lucky.

"Ah," he breathed. "Your boy didn't have it in him, but you do, don't your Scottie?"

"I'm not here to kill you, Miles."

"What then?"

She pursed her lips together and studied him. "Answers, maybe. Closure." He snorted and she tilted her head. "Why, Miles? After everything."

"That should be my question to you. You had so much promise, Scottie. We could have dominated the intelligence community. We could have made this world a safer place, but you let sentiment get the better of you. Tell me, how's that working?"

She let a thin smile tilt her lips. "Some things are more important than the job, Miles. You might have lived longer if you'd learned that."

"I thought you weren't here to kill me."

"I'm not." She paused, hearing the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside.

Scottie watched his expression turn questioning as she stood, knocking on the door and it opened from the outside. Raymond Reddington was stepping out of the town car.

"Miles! I don't believe we've had the pleasure yet," Reddington said cheerfully. "I believe you know an associate of mine. Vincent Lucero. He's simply dying to see you again."

Scottie smirked just a little at the way the colour drained from Miles' face. "I lied," she told him, pulling his attention back to her. "I came to look you in the eye when you realize you've truly lost. He's all yours, Red."

She passed her husband's old friend and even as Miles shouted her name from the van, she refused to look back. She had made her choice, and Scottie Hargrave chose her family.

* * *

Notes: Holy crap this ending has kicked my butt and I'm so sorry, but those gorgeous Keen2 pics they released today on EW gave me the final push. I just wrapped the last chapter today, so I thought I'd celebrate by posting the next to last!

Next time - As the dust settles, truths are revealed.


	27. Make It Right

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Make it Right**

He came around slowly, feeling the drugs in his system slow down his ability to piece together what he needed. Dark eyes moved sluggishly, taking in the white walls, the machinery, and the little couch to the far side of the room next to a window. He was in a hospital. An actual hospital. Well that was a change.

"Hey."

Matias Solomon looked over to see Nez sitting in a chair, her hair pulled back and out of her face and she had her finger holding her spot in her book. She offered him a tired smile. "You sure took your time waking up."

"How long…?" He cleared his threat, wincing as he did. "How long have I been out?"

"A few days. They wanted to make sure there was no permanent damage from the blood loss."

"Good news?"

"Yeah." Her smile grew a little. "You told me you were stubborn."

"And you didn't know it?" he chuckled, wincing a little. "Don't tell me you've been here the whole time."

Nez snorted good naturedly. "You'd like being the center of attention, wouldn't you? No. I've been in and out. There's a lot of cleanup that needed to be done in the wake of everything. Nearly the entire Board was killed by Ellington's people, Halcyon has begun internal audits _while_ going after what's left of Ellington's organization, and… it's been crazy."

"Sounds it. Who came out on top?"

"We won."

"Oh, I don't question that," Solomon answered smoothly. "I meant Scottie or Howard." He needed to know if he was protected.

"Ah," Nez breathed. "Things are in flux, but the details are being hashed out."

"Well what's it look like?"

"You shouldn't worry about that right now."

She reached out and he felt her hand cover his. He flipped his over, palm touching hers, and his fingers danced against the skin on the underside of her wrist. "What do you say, once I'm out of here, you and I grab a bite to eat?"

"Are you actually asking me out?" she asked, almost sounding startled by it.

"Might as well do this right," he murmured softly and she leaned stood from her seat, leaning down and pressed a kiss against his lips.

One of the machines he was hooked to started to sound a warning and they both looked over when someone chuckled from the doorway. Solomon frowned deeply at the sight of Tom Keen, looking like he'd just come from some meeting or another in his suit. Things were in flux. That made more sense now. Neither Scottie or Howard had won. He was truly screwed now.

"Give us a minute, Nez?" Keen asked and she nodded, squeezing Solomon's hand as she stood.

"Go easy on him."

Keen snorted and waited until she was gone to turn his gaze on the injured man. "I got a full debrief from her on what happened at… some point in the last couple of days. It's been hectic."

"So," Solomon drawled in the pause that followed, "you have Halcyon."

"It'll be official next week, yeah," Keen answered, and he didn't sound as pleased as Solomon would have thought. He'd fallen headlong into this and come out on top. He could do anything he wanted now. Ellington had been right about one thing: Halcyon was power.

And now Tom Keen, a man that loathed him, had that power.

"What do you want, Keen?" Solomon asked carefully.

The other man snorted and ran a hand through his hair, standing it on its end. "A nap. Not getting that though."

Solomon really didn't feel like playing games. He didn't think Nez would have left Keen alone with him in the state he was in if she thought he was a danger, but Keen was an excellent liar and Nez was soft on him. It wouldn't take much for him to take advantage of that.

"Right now, though," he continued, jaw clenched a little irritably, "I have a job offer for you."

"A job offer," Solomon echoed, the words heavy on his tongue.

"Believe me, it was a tough call to make. One that I changed my mind on at least fifteen times, but…. you could have screwed us and you took a bullet instead. That's gotta count for something, and you're good. I'm not above admitting that."

"Could have fooled me."

Keen rolled his eyes. "Don't push it. I'm offering your old job back as soon as the paperwork is signed on my end. You do your job, watch the team's back, and I'll have yours against the Cabal. Sound fair?"

"Nez talked to you."

"She vouched for you."

"And that was enough?"

"Long as you don't play her, yeah. Listen…"

He could hear it in his voice. The warnings, the threats. _If you hurt her…._ It was ridiculous. "You don't have any right, Keen. I know your background. At least Nez knows what I am and always has."

He watched the younger man's mouth snap shut and he sighed. "Fine. The offer's there. Take it or leave it."

"I'll consider it," Solomon answered noncommittally.

Keen made a small sound of acknowledgement and turned towards the door, pausing there. "You should know we're moving HQ to DC and Grey Matters will be operating out of the remote location. We'll start the transfer in a week."

Solomon settled back into his pillows, the offer hanging in the air after he left. Tom Keen in charge of Halcyon. Well, there would never be a dull moment.

* * *

Donald Ressler hesitated outside of the office he shared with Elizabeth Keen, seeing the movement inside through the blinds. It was early and he hadn't even been sure she would be there yet. Things had been so crazy in the wake of taking Ellington out that he'd barely seen his partner. It was time to take advantage of the few minutes they had. He couldn't keep this to himself anymore.

He tapped his knuckles against the door as he opened it, catching Liz's attention. "Hey, Ress."

"Hey."

"I heard about Gale. Reassigned halfway around the world, huh?"

"Far away from the Task Force," Ressler answered.

"Worked out pretty well."

Their definition of working out well was a little different these days. There hadn't been enough evidence to link Gale to Hitchin - mostly because he hadn't had anything to do with it - but he'd been punished for it anyway while Ressler stated where he was. Yes, it was good for the Task Force, but he couldn't help feeling the weight of the situation, even if there wasn't anything to be done about it now. "Yeah, but that's not what I came in to talk to you about."

Liz looked up from where she was organizing a file. "What's up?"

"Ellington."

His partner loosed a long breath and straightened. "Okay," she said carefully. "What do you want to know?"

"Did Reddington take him?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"I don't know the details, just that we'll never see him again."

Ressler steeled himself. "Did you have clearance?"

"I didn't make the deal."

"But your husband did."

He watched her draw in a deep breath. "What do you want me to say, Ressler? This isn't the first time Reddington has taken our perp as his payment. At least this time we're getting something tangible out of it."

"What's that?"

"Answers," Liz said simply and pushed herself off the desk. "I need to go. I'm picking Agnes up today." She started past him, but stopped. "I get it, Ress. Don't think that I don't, but this is a win. This is a major win."

He nodded slowly, wishing it felt more like one. "Aram wanted me to make sure you and Tom knew. We were all going to grab dinner tonight. We could use the break."

"No kidding. I'll do my best to be there."

He nodded and watched her leave. Give and take. That's something he was having to come to terms with working with Reddington. He had to focus on the win. The people that they'd helped to save. If he could do that, maybe he'd be able to come to terms with what they had to give up to get that done.

* * *

The jump drive with his son's history on it felt heavy in his pocket as Howard Hargrave waited. The deal had been done, the information delivered, and things were progressing.

Things weren't over though.

It was funny, he'd spent so long reaching for the end goal. It was strange that things could be finished. That they would hit the end, and in a way they had a new chapter was beginning. Halcyon had been lost to him in all of this, but he'd found his son, and if all worked out Tom would lead the company in a better direction than Howard could have dreamed. He had the potential to be extraordinary.

"At least we can say that we did one thing right."

Howard turned, startled, and found Scottie there. She wore that little smile of hers. It was hesitant, but it reached her eyes. He found himself staring, finally shaking it off to produce the jump drive. "Red came through."

"Did you question it?"

"No, but I was a little worried you would." He paused, watching her. "You chose Tom."

She hummed softly, moving towards him. "I chose my family," she stated, the meaning clear. "I just heard from the lawyers. They're giving me time served for my part in taking Miles out."

"They still won't let you back into Halcyon."

"Or you, from what I hear, but maybe that's for the best. You were right. He is the only decent person in our family. It's in good hands."

Howard felt a smile of his own tug his lips. "He is. He'll do alright, Scottie."

She nodded and silence stretched between them for a long moment. Howard could feel the tension, the uncertainty. The war was over. They'd been fighting it so long that he wondered if either of them remembered what peace looked like. Not a truce, not a game to play the other, but real and honest peace.

Scottie cleared her throat. "I am sorry," she said finally. "I know it likely doesn't mean much to you anymore, but hurting you wasn't the intent."

Blue eyes met brown and they stood there looking at each other. She was calm, her voice steady, though it sounded sincere. She was good, though, and trusting in her sincerity was difficult at the very best. He needed to make a decision here if he was going to try to rebuild the trust or they had hurt each other too badly. Tom wanted a chance to get to know them, he wanted a chance for them to know him and his family, but that didn't require Howard and Scottie to be anything more than civil. If they chose more than that, it had to be for them. No one else.

She gave him a thin smile. "Right," she said quietly and turned, taking his silence as a dismal.

Howard reached out, catching her wrist and startling her. "You're giving up awful easy."

His wife snorted, her eyes narrowing a little. "No more games, Howard."

"No," he agreed. "There've been enough of those for a lifetime. I'm not going to pretend this would be easy and certainly not painless, but…. There was good and bad done on both sides."

She blinked owlishly at him for a moment before her surprise softened into hope. "See where it goes?"

His lips quirked upward at the corners and he learned down, feeling her hand turn in his as he kissed her. It wasn't long and it wasn't deep, but it was real, and that was a good place to start.

* * *

The day had been long already, but he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Liz was off to pick up Agnes from Reddington's hideaway and Tom was looking forward to some time to relax with his family. He'd barely stopped in the last few days and he sorely needed a breather. He needed that anchor, that normality, to remind him. First, though, he had to handle this.

"If I have to sit through another meeting in the next twenty-four hours I think I may lose my mind," he tried for a joke as he entered the building that would serve as their office space once everything was finalized.

Both Howard and Scottie looked and he paused, realizing he'd walked in on… something. What he didn't dare guess.

"They'll run you ragged if you let them," Howard chuckled and his son flashed a tired smile, tugging at his tie.

"At least I'll be in DC," he said, motioning around them. "They're not happy with the relocation, but it's better than commuting on the private jet every night. You said you had something that shouldn't wait?"

"I did," Howard agreed and pulled the jump drive out of his pocket. "As promised."

Tom hesitated, realizing what it was. Answers. Answers about his past, about his training, and about the closest thing he'd had to a father growing up. He had wanted to know - enough that he was willing to let someone else dispatch the man that had done all of this in the first place - but as he looked at it now he realized just how terrifying that truth could , hesitantly, he reached out and took it. "Thank you," he breathed.

"Of course."

"Have, uh…. either of you looked?" He glanced between them, but it was Howard that answered.

"No."

He nodded, clutching it. He needed to go. There was a lot to do, and the drive felt heavy in his hand.

"Tom?"

He looked over to see Scottie's expression strained as if she wasn't sure how much to say and how he'd react if she did. He cleared his throat, catching her gaze. "I know it must have been hard…. giving Ellington up for this. Thank you."

She reached forward, the touch hesitant, but he didn't flinch away. "I love you," she told him, her voice breaking a little with the emotion as she held his gaze. "I know it hasn't always seemed that way, but I love you."

Tom nodded slowly, swallowing hard. Somehow he believed her. He couldn't be sure if it was his own experiences or if it was something in her eyes, but he believed her. "When the dust settles a little, maybe we can get together. Dinner or something." His gaze shifted to Howard. "All of us?"

Howard's smile helped ease the knot forming in his chest and he moved a little closer. "I'd want nothing more," he promised.

Tom nodded, trying for a smile. "I should take a look at this."

"I thought you might want to, son. We'll give you some space. There's a secured computer in that room there."

He followed his father's motion to an empty room and pulled in a deep breaths they started to leave. "Hey, Scottie?" He heard her pause and forced himself to look around. "I told you I regretted coming into this, regretted meeting you."

She winced a little. "I remember."

"I don't. Not anymore. I don't regret it."

Her expression softened into a small smile. "I'm glad."

He watched them leave, giving him the privacy he needed for what was ahead. He stood there for a long moment, letting it sink in. This wasn't the end, it was the beginning. They would still be there after he finished reading what Reddington had provided. Bud might have used him or he might have just been another pawn in Ellington's game, but Howard and Scottie Hargrave would be there either way, and that was a strange and hopeful feeling to be left with.

* * *

Agnes' laugh filled the room and Liz found herself smiling, the sound easing her nerves that had been on edge for days. Dembe had picked her up an hour before and had taken her out to his daughter's home. Isabella had met them at the door and welcomed them in to where Agnes and Ella were playing happily with a set of blocks. Agnes had given a shrill, happy giggle at the sight of her mother, babbling the whole way, and Liz immediately felt a sense of peace wash over her. Her daughter was safe. Her family was safe. They were going to be alright.

The girls were playing again with their mothers watching when another knock came at the door and Raymond Reddington entered. Ella reached out for him, obviously recognizing him, and Red knelt on the quilt to greet the two little girls first.

"Some of my earliest memories are of Raymond," Isabella said softly. "He would play with me and let me wear his hat. My mother and I never wanted for anything, and I know that's because he loves my father like family, so by extension we were too."

Liz watched him pick Agnes up, pressing a kiss to her chubby cheek and she grabbed hold of his sunglasses, giggling all the way. Once he'd wrestled them free again he glanced back at the little girl's mother. "Elizabeth, if I might borrow you a moment?"

She nodded and stood from the couch. "I'll be right back, sweetie," she promised her daughter as she followed him out the front door.

Reddington stopped just outside the home, looking up into the blue sky. He didn't say anything for a long moment and Liz waited as patiently as she could. Finally he pulled in a deep breath. "A child changes everything. The moment that your mother told me she was pregnant, my whole world changed. Not just mine, but everything," Reddington confessed softly.

"I know what you mean," she murmured, that bubbly little girl immediately coming to mind.

He hummed softly. "We lived dangerous lives, Katarina and I, and it was… difficult. I loved your mother very much. I know it may not sound like it at times, the way I speak about her."

"Love is complicated," Liz acknowledged softly and pressed then her lips together. She had a thousand questions, but he so rarely spoke openly like this. Honestly. She knew how difficult it was and she didn't dare break his resolve to do so.

"But I loved you more. I tried to take you away. I tried to…" He shook his head, his gaze distant. "Your mother was already tied up with the Cabal. They were - they are, as you well know - dangerous people. The night of the fire was complete and utter chaos. I was injured, Katarina didn't escaped unscathed, nor did you." He reached out to her suddenly, his touch gentle as he turned her hand over, the scar on her wrist visible. "She killed a woman shortly after that. A Cabal member. It wasn't necessary, but she felt backed into the corner."

"The bones," Liz breathed and he nodded.

"It was a panicked move and Katarina hadn't taken her usual precautions. Everything was spiraling and she'd gone too far. She'd put you in too much danger."

Liz swallowed hard, preparing herself. She had to be careful how she responded here. There were precious few things she couldn't forgive with honesty, but she wasn't sure how she could move past the worst scenario. It terrified her, but she needed to know. "Did you kill her?"

Reddington looked pained at that. "I gave her an ultimatum. I would help her, but she had to walk away. She agreed, and I received news of her death shortly after."

A chill ran down her spine. She wasn't sure if that was worse or not. "You're the reason I grew up without her."

There was a pause, painful and long, and he closed his eyes. "Yeah."

"Why didn't you come get me?" The words escaped her and in that moment, as much as it hurt, she realized it wasn't just growing up without Katarina. It was that he had chosen to stay away as well.

That seemed to startle him and he looked up. "My life wasn't any safer. Sam's was. Katarina and I both knew him, both trusted him, and I would protect you from the shadows."

She let it sink in for a moment, her eyes drifting closed as she tried to sort through the raging and conflicting emotions. Her parents, members of two different intelligence programs for two different countries, with ties to the Cabal. The kidnapping, the fire, her mother's death….

Blue eyes popped open. "Is she really dead?"

Reddington loosed a breath. "I've heard conflicting reports."

"So you don't know if Katarina Rostova is alive or dead? If my _mother_ is alive or dead?" Well, at least now she knew why he'd fought so hard on this.

"I do not," he said softly, watching her.

Liz squared her shoulders and evened her expression, though she knew it was an effort in futility. The emotions were going to play out through her eyes anyway and he would know.

"You know," she began, her voice steadier than she had dared to hope for, "how much it means to me to know my mother. To have answers about her."

"I do."

"And yet you kept it from me. Would have kept it from me indefinitely if Kate hadn't called Tom about the suitcase." She waited until he made a small sound of acknowledgment. "I see why she hoped that would be enough."

"If you need-"

"I need you to be honest, Reddington. I need you to remember I'm not a child anymore." She pulled in a breath, steadying herself, calling to mind everything she had done - everything she'd be willing to do - to keep Agnes safe. "I said that I see why she hoped it'd be enough, but she was wrong. Maybe a couple of years ago I wouldn't have been able to wrap my mind around it, and while I don't agree with it, I do know the lengths a parent will go for the child they love."

She risked a glance to him and found him staring at her, a bit of awe in his expression. A short huff escaped her. "No one said this would be easy, but I'm not giving up."

"Thank you," he whispered.

"I just need you to promise something."

"If it's in my power."

"I need you to tell me if there's ever a lead on my mother. Let me decide if it's worth the risk. Can you promise me that?"

"I will do my best," he offered, his voice rough.

Liz waited a long moment and finally nodded, accepting that. "I'll hold you to it."

"I know you will."

Despite the raging emotions she managed a smile. "Listen, we need to get going. Tom was going to go meet his parents about the information you got and I want to be there for him."

"Of course."

She reached out, fully intending to touch his arm for a little reassurance, but in the last moment she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, setting her chin against his shoulder. She felt him return the embrace, holding her as close as he dared. "I do love you, Raymond," she whispered, her voice finally giving under the weight.

He tightened his grip on her just a little more and Liz knew Tom would understand.

* * *

He felt numb, despite how prepared he had thought he was going into it. Bud had always kept detailed records, and his records on the Soft Rain project were no different. They were thorough and articulate, including what he'd worked into his own St Regis program. Projects, tests, experiments. They were all there in gut wrenching detail.

"Tom, are you in here?"

Tom looked around, his wife's voice pulling him from his thoughts. "Yeah," he managed, his voice rougher than he expected. He cleared his throat. "In here."

"I'm sorry I'm late. Reddington actually told me about the bones. I'm still kind of in shock from it. I mean, getting him to open up is harder than - Babe?"

He blinked hard, realizing he hadn't actually looked at her yet. He pushed back his own tunneling thoughts at the sight of Agnes in her arms and reached out, finding their little girl ready and willing to switch parents. She piled from one to the other and he settled her in his lap, still seated in the chair in front of the computer. "Hey you. I have missed you, baby girl." He pressed a kiss to her fair hair. "So? What's up with the bones?"

"You've looked at the file already," Liz said, and it wasn't quite a question.

"Yeah. What'd Reddington say?"

He watched her frown, studying him for a moment and he bounced Agnes a little. "Hi. Hey there," he teased the giggling little girl.

"They belong to a Cabal member my mother killed. It's… complicated. What about the file? Did McCready know?"

"Of course he did," Tom managed, doing his best to focus on Agnes' happy laugh. "I was a tool for him. This isn't exactly news."

"Tom," Liz murmured, her voice taking on that soft tone she used when she was trying to bring him around to something.

"It's not, and… it's not okay, but he's dead, Liz. He's dead and I'm here. With you, with Agnes." Agnes reached up, the palm of her little hand square in the middle of his face and he kissed it. "Scottie and Howard too, whatever that brings. I… he wasn't my family. He made that clear, but you are, and whatever Bud did, whatever happened, my life got me to you and Agnes and I wouldn't change that for anything." He looked up from his seat to find his wife staring at him, her expression soft. She leaned down, careful to avoid the little girl there, and kissed him. He felt his own eyes lull closed, her hand against his face, and she leaned deeper into it. For a moment the world around them faded.

A soft buzzing finally broke them apart and Liz leaned her forehead against his. "I love you."

"You too," he breathed. "You need to go?"

"To the office? No," Liz laughed. "No, I am done for the day. It's just you, me, and Agnes."

"I can get behind that," he answered as she pulled her phone out to look at the message. "What?"

She chuckled a little and shook her head. "The team was going over to Wing Yee's for dinner. I think they picked the place where they'd know I'd have trouble saying no to it."

Tom grinned, shifting so he could stand. Agnes was starting to lean against him, the long day getting to her and he cradled her against him. "Who says you have to say no? C'mon. As long as Ressler won't arrest me on the spot for the whole Ellington thing."

His wife grinned at him and nudged him in the arm as she reached for the jump drive to pull it out. "He's not happy with you on that."

"I'll buy him a beer and promise not to make fun of his hair," Tom teased and got an eyeroll for his efforts. Her smile didn't fade though, and neither did his as the walked out of the building that would eventually be the new headquarters for Halcyon in DC. Things were changing all around them. Their family was growing and expanding, shifting and evolving. They'd beaten back one threat, but more would come. It was naive to think they wouldn't, but no matter what demons came knocking at their door, they could fight them together.

"I'm thinking about making Lamb an offer to transfer here to DC and work as a liaison with the field office here."

"You think he will after everything that happened?"

He tilted his head. "Yeah, I do. I'd rather work with the Task Force, but my guess is it's going to take some work to rebuild any trust with Cooper."

"Ha. Just a little, but he'll come around." His wife grinned at him, but it settled into a smile as they moved towards the elevator. "I think you made the right call with Halcyon. It won't be easy, but you'll be good at it."

"You're just happy I'm out of the field," he teased

She snorted. "I wouldn't know you at all if I thought you telling the new Board you'll stay out of the field really means anything."

Tom grinned, shifting Agnes into one arm. He dropped his newly freed hand down to catch Liz's, and he saw her smile, squeezing his fingers in return. Everything was going to be alright. As long as they took it on together, they would make it right.

* * *

Notes: Okay, finishing this story was harder than I thought. The last chapter wasn't as difficult to write as the two major action chapters before it, but when I hit the end and realized it was done I was pretty sad. This story has gotten me through the summer and is wrapping just before the show comes back. I don't have any major Blacklist projects planned right now, but I do hope with Tom back on the main show to be kicking out a few one shots over on my Truth in the Lies collection. And, for anyone that watches Wynonna Earp, I've been writing a collection of one shots over there as well.

I always like to comment on it when I specifically remember a big plot point coming from a conversation I had, and I _think_ that the final decision on the bones came from a conversation Blacklister214 and I had. Either way, major thank you to all of my friends that have let me knock around some ideas to help put this story together. You know who you are and you're awesome ;)

I know I say this every summer hiatus, but I have very high hopes for this coming season. I can't wait to see how they do end up wrapping the loose threads of the Redemption storyline, how Liz and Red hash out the bones with this new layer to their relationship, and how they handle Ressler's aftermath with Hitchin. Oh. And Saram. Definitely all the Saram and Keen2/Keen3 moments XD

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts! It's been so great hearing from you guys and I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing this one. :D


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